deacon Meaning & Definition
What Does Deacon Mean?
Deacon is a noun that means a subordinate officer in a Christian church. It is also used to mean a Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox cleric ranking next below a priest.
Quick Facts About Deacon
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdē-kən/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | protestant deacon, catholic deacon and clergyperson |
| Antonyms | layman, layperson and secular |
| Plural | deacons |
Deacon Definition (Noun)
- a subordinate officer in a Christian church: such as
- a Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox cleric ranking next below a priest
- one of the laity elected by a church with congregational polity to serve in worship, in pastoral care, and on administrative committees
- a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the lowest grade of the Aaronic priesthood
Synonyms of Deacon
Antonyms of Deacon
Deacon in a Sentence
my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church
Word Forms & Grammar
dea·cons
deacon
deacons
deacon (plural deacons)
deacon (third-person singular simple present deacons, present participle deaconing, simple past and past participle deaconed)
Words That Rhyme With Deacon
Origin of Deacon
Origin 1: 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
Origin 2: Inherited from Middle English deken, dekne, from Old English diacon, from Ecclesiastical Latin diāconus, from Ancient Greek διᾱ́κονος (diā́konos, “servant, minister”).
First Known Use
before 12th century
How Do You Say Deacon?
Deacon is pronounced /ˈdē-kən/ and has 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (dē).
Quick Answers About Deacon
What part of speech is deacon?
Deacon is a noun.
What is another word for deacon?
Words with a similar meaning to deacon include protestant deacon, catholic deacon and clergyperson. See the full list of deacon synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of deacon?
The opposite of deacon can be expressed with words like layman, layperson, secular and lay reader.
What is the plural of deacon?
The plural of deacon is deacons.