DEACON


Meaning of DEACON in English

n. & v.

--n.

1. (in Episcopal churches) a minister of the third order, below bishop and priest.

2 (in Nonconformist churches) a lay officer attending to a congregation's secular affairs.

3 (in the early Church) an appointed minister of charity.

--v.tr. appoint or ordain as a deacon.

Derivatives:

deaconate n. deaconship n.

Etymology: OE diacon f. eccl.L diaconus f. Gk diakonos servant

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.