|səb+ noun
Etymology: Middle English subdecon, subdekene, from Late Latin subdiaconus, from Latin sub- under, below + Late Latin diaconus deacon — more at sub- , deacon
1. : one in holy orders who ranks below a deacon and whose duties in the Eastern Orthodox and formerly the Roman Catholic Churches include the preparation of holy vessels for the Eucharist or mass
2. : an ecclesiastic whose duty is to read the epistle in various religious services