archdeacon
|arch-dea-con|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrkˈdiːkən/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːkˈdiːkən/
senior church deputy
Etymology
'archdeacon' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'arkhidiakonos', where 'arkhi-' meant 'chief' and 'diakonos' meant 'servant' or 'deacon'.
'archdeacon' passed into Late Latin as 'archidiaconus', then into Old French/Anglo‑Norman forms and Middle English (e.g. 'archidiacon'/'archdeacon'), eventually yielding the modern English 'archdeacon'.
Initially it meant 'chief servant' (a literal leadership role among servants or deacons); over time it came to denote a formal ecclesiastical office — a senior administrative clergy position under a bishop.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a senior clergy member in certain Christian churches (especially Anglican and some Protestant churches) who acts as a principal administrative deputy to a bishop and oversees the clergy and church affairs in a part of a diocese.
The archdeacon inspected several parishes last week to ensure church records were up to date.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(historical/rare) A chief deacon or principal servant in early Christian church structures; used in older texts to denote an administrative officer below the bishop.
In medieval records the archdeacon often managed the bishop's courts and local church discipline.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/05 03:02