# dean

> English word · Noun · IPA /diːn/ · frequency rank #3,615

## Definitions
1. A senior official in a college or university, who may be in charge of a division or faculty (for example, the dean of science) or have some other advisory or disciplinary function (for example, the dean of students).
2. A dignitary or presiding officer in certain church bodies, especially an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop, in charge of a chapter of canons.
3. The senior member of some group of people.

## Etymology
From Middle English den, deen (“dean”), from Anglo-Norman deen and continental Old French deien (modern French doyen), from Latin decānus. Doublet of doyen.

## Easily confused with
- **don** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-don)
- **DNA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dna)
- **del** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-del)
- **Dec** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dec)
- **Des** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-des)
- **der** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-der)
- **den** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-den)
- **def** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-def)
- **dem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dem)
- **Dee** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dee)
- **dev** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dev)
- **DIN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-din)
- **dew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dew)
- **dun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dun)
- **DEI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dei)
- **dex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dex)
- **deb** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-deb)
- **dey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dey)
- **deo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-deo)
- **dep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dean-vs-dep)

## Common misspellings (5)
`daen`, `ddean`, `deann`, `dena`, `edan`

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