Etymology Inherited from Middle English deken, dekne, from Old English diacon, from Ecclesiastical Latin diāconus, from Ancient Greek διᾱ́κονος (diā́konos, “servant, minister”).
A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).
Early Christianity
› A modern-day member of a church who handles…
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Catholicism, ChristianityBroadly A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.
Eastern Orthodoxy; Oriental Orthodoxy; Church of the East; Eastern Orthodoxy; Oriental Orthodoxy; Church of the East
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ChristianityBroadly An ordained clergyperson usually serving a year prior to being ordained presbyter, though in some cases they remain a permanent deacon.
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ChristianityBroadly A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
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ChristianityBroadly A separate office from that of minister, neither leading to the other; instead there is a permanent deaconate.
Etymology Inherited from Middle English deken, dekne, from Old English diacon, from Ecclesiastical Latin diāconus, from Ancient Greek διᾱ́κονος (diā́konos, “servant, minister”).
He was deaconed on the 23rd May, and priested on the 29th September, 1624, by John, Bishop of Sodar and Man.1869, George Bennett, The History of Bandon, and the Principal Towns in the West Riding of County Cork, Francis Guy, page 518
Chapman was a lay missionary and was not deaconed until 1844 and priested in 1852.1992, Allan Davidson, Donald D. Hook, “New Zealand's Prayer Book”, in Anglican and Episcopal History, 61.3, pages 247-251:
1 more example
Thus, Samuel Seabury... was deaconed by the Bishop of Lincoln and priested by the Bishop of Carlisle.2013, Gregory K. Cameron, “Locating the Anglican Communion in the History of Anglicanism”, in The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the Anglican Communion, page 3:
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Christianity, Entertainment, Lifestyle, 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, Slang To place fresh fruit at the top of a barrel or other container, with spoiled or imperfect fruit hidden beneath.
The blanc mange was lumpy, and the strawberries not as ripe as they looked, having been skilfully 'deaconed'.1868, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women:
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.1902, George Horace Lorimer, Old Gorgon Graham:
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US, Slang To make sly alterations to the boundaries of (land); to adulterate or doctor (an article to be sold), etc.