deacon
noun
dea·con ˈdē-kən 
plural deacons
: a subordinate officer in a Christian church: such as
a
: a Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox cleric ranking next below a priest
b
: one of the laity elected by a church with congregational polity to serve in worship, in pastoral care, and on administrative committees
c
: a Mormon in the lowest grade of the Aaronic priesthood
Synonyms
- clergyperson
- cleric
- clerical
- clerk
- divine
- dominie
- ecclesiastic
- minister
- preacher
- priest
- reverend
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church
Recent Examples on the Web She isn’t ordained but works in ministry as a licensed deacon. 
San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 The 10 victims of the mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York supermarket include a church deacon, a beloved security guard and the mother of a retired fire commissioner. CBS News, 16 May 2022 Fifty-nine-year-old Nicky Myers was the mayor of Pilot Station, proto-deacon of the Russian Orthodox church, a crew boss for local wildfire fighters, a member of search and rescue, and a family man. Olivia Ebertz, Anchorage Daily News, 3 May 2022 Their voices resonated in harmony, ringing through the church in a call-and-response with Lebed and the church’s deacon, Roman. Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2022 Travis worked 29 years at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, and served as a deacon, financial secretary and Sunday school teacher at James Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 11 Apr. 2022 Murder charges were filed for each of the victims, who ranged in age from 32 to 86 and included eight shoppers, the store security guard and a church deacon who drove shoppers to and from the store with their groceries. Carolyn Thompson, Chron, 1 June 2022 Tom Pohlmeier, the parish's deacon and lawn mower, also kept quiet until the Catholic Church made a formal announcement on Tuesday. Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2022 The slain included a civil rights advocate, a deacon and a heroic security guard. Elise Brisco, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022 See More
San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 The 10 victims of the mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York supermarket include a church deacon, a beloved security guard and the mother of a retired fire commissioner. CBS News, 16 May 2022 Fifty-nine-year-old Nicky Myers was the mayor of Pilot Station, proto-deacon of the Russian Orthodox church, a crew boss for local wildfire fighters, a member of search and rescue, and a family man. Olivia Ebertz, Anchorage Daily News, 3 May 2022 Their voices resonated in harmony, ringing through the church in a call-and-response with Lebed and the church’s deacon, Roman. Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2022 Travis worked 29 years at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, and served as a deacon, financial secretary and Sunday school teacher at James Chapel Missionary Baptist Church. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 11 Apr. 2022 Murder charges were filed for each of the victims, who ranged in age from 32 to 86 and included eight shoppers, the store security guard and a church deacon who drove shoppers to and from the store with their groceries. Carolyn Thompson, Chron, 1 June 2022 Tom Pohlmeier, the parish's deacon and lawn mower, also kept quiet until the Catholic Church made a formal announcement on Tuesday. Frank E. Lockwood, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2022 The slain included a civil rights advocate, a deacon and a heroic security guard. Elise Brisco, USA TODAY, 17 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English dekene, from Old English dēacon, from Late Latin diaconus, from Greek diakonos, literally, servant, from dia- + -konos (akin to enkonein to be active); perhaps akin to Latin conari to attempt
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing deacon
Kids Definition
deacon
noun
dea·con ˈdē-kən
1
: an official in some Christian churches ranking just below a priest
2
: a church member in some Christian churches who has special duties
deacons
noun
as in priests
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- priests
- preachers
- pastors
- bishops
- clergymen
- ministers
- clerics
- clericals
- reverends
- ecclesiastics
- prelates
- chaplains
- fathers
- clerks
- divines
- clergypersons
- deaconesses
- missionaries
- presbyters
- dominies
- archbishops
- priestesses
- popes
- monks
- churchmen
- rectors
- vicars
- abbots
- clergywomen
- deans
- diocesans
- parsons
- archpriests
- confessors
- monsignors
- padres
- curés
- evangelists
- missioners
- shepherds
- friars
- abbés
- religious
- monastics
- curates
- oblates
- mendicants
- revivalists
- Holy Joes
- sky pilots
- monsignori
- missionizers
- high priests
- high priestesses
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- laymen
- laypeople
- secular
- seculars
- lectors
- lay readers
- force of circumstance(s)
- force of circumstances
- force of friction
- force of habit
- force of nature
- force of will
- force on
- force on/upon
- force one's hand
- force one's way
- force oneself
- force play
- force polygon
- force pump
- force quit
- force quits
- force quitting
- force someone's hand
- force something down
- force something down someone's throat
- force the issue
- force to be reckoned with
- force upon
- force-break
- force-fed