# deacon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdiːkən/ · frequency rank #17,339

## Definitions
1. A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).
2. A modern-day member of a church who handles secular and/or administrative duties in a priest's stead, the specifics of which depends on denomination.
3. A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.
4. An ordained clergyperson usually serving a year prior to being ordained presbyter, though in some cases they remain a permanent deacon.
5. A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
6. A separate office from that of minister, neither leading to the other; instead there is a permanent deaconate.
7. A junior lodge officer.
8. The lowest office in the Aaronic priesthood, generally held by 12 or 13 year old boys or recent converts.
9. A male calf of a dairy breed, so called because they are usually deaconed (see below).
10. The chairman of an incorporated company.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English deken, dekne, from Old English diacon, from Ecclesiastical Latin diāconus, from Ancient Greek διᾱ́κονος (diā́konos, “servant, minister”).

## Easily confused with
- **dean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-dean)
- **deco** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-deco)
- **demon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-demon)
- **Devon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-devon)
- **decor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-decor)
- **decoy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-decoy)
- **draco** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-draco)
- **dragon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-dragon)
- **Denton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-denton)
- **Deakin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-deakin)
- **Deccan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/deacon-vs-deccan)
- **Damon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/damon-vs-deacon)

## Common misspellings (8)
`daecon`, `ddeacon`, `deaccon`, `deacno`, `deaconn`, `deaocn`, `decaon`, `edacon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/deacon