Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Deacon
Dea′con
(dē′k’n)
, Noun.
[OE.
diakne
, deakne
, deken
, AS. diacon
, deacon
, L. diaconus
, fr. Gr. διάκονοσ
a servant or minister, a minister of the church; of uncertain origin. In sense 2 prob. confused with dean
.] 1.
(Eccl.)
An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and elders, and has charge of certain duties connected with the communion service and the care of the poor. In Congregational churches, he is subordinate to the pastor, and has duties as in the Presbyterian church.
2.
The chairman of an incorporated company.
[Scot.]
Dea′con
(dē′k’n)
, Verb.
T.
1.
To read aloud each line of (a psalm or hymn) before singing it, – usually with
off
. [Colloq. New. Eng.]
See Line
, Verb.
T.
☞ The expression is derived from a former custom in the Congregational churches of New England. It was part of the office of a deacon to read aloud the psalm given out, one line at a time, the congregation singing each line as soon as read; – called, also,
lining out the psalm
. Webster 1828 Edition
Deacon
DE'ACON
,Noun.
Definition 2024
Deacon
deacon
deacon
See also: Deacon
English
Noun
deacon (plural deacons)
- (Church history) A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).
- (Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism) A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.
- (Protestantism) Free Churches: A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
- (Protestantism) Anglicanism: An ordained clergyman usually serving a year prior to being ordained presbyter, though in some cases they remain a permanent deacon.
- (Protestantism) Methodism: A separate office from that of minister, neither leading to the other; instead there is a permanent deaconate.
- (freemasonry) A junior lodge officer.
- (Mormonism) The lowest office in the Aaronic priesthood, generally held by 12 or 13 year old boys or recent converts.
- (US, animal husbandry) A male calf of a dairy breed, so called because they are usually deaconed (see below).
- (Scotland) The chairman of an incorporated company.
Hyponyms
- (Catholic): permanent deacon, transitional deacon
Derived terms
Derived terms
|
Translations
a designated minister of charity in the early Church
|
|
a clergyman ranked directly below a priest
|
|
lay leader of a Protestant congregation
a junior Lodge officer
See also
Verb
deacon (third-person singular simple present deacons, present participle deaconing, simple past and past participle deaconed)
- (Christianity, music) For a choir leader to lead a hymn by speaking one or two lines at a time, which are then sung by the choir.
- (US, animal husbandry) To kill a calf shortly after birth.
- (US, slang) To place fresh fruit at the top of a barrel or other container, with spoiled or imperfect fruit hidden beneath.
- 1902, George Horace Lorimer, Old Gorgon Graham:
- It's like buying a barrel of apples that's been deaconed — after you've found that the deeper you go the meaner and wormier the fruit, you forget all about the layer of big, rosy, wax-finished pippins that was on top.
-
- (US, slang) To make sly alterations to the boundaries of (land); to adulterate or doctor (an article to be sold), etc.