[dean] n [ME deen, fr. OF deien, fr. LL decanus chief of ten, fr. Gk dekanos, fr. deka ten--more at ten] (13c) 1 a: the head of the chapter of a collegiate or cathedral church b: a Roman Catholic priest who supervises one district of a diocese
2. a: the head of a division, faculty, college, or school of a university b: a college or secondary school administrator in charge of counseling and disciplining students
3: doyen 1 -- dean vi -- dean.ship n