rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryarchdeaconSenior church official
noun

archdeacon

arch-DEE-kun/ˌɑːrtʃˈdiːkən/

A senior church official who assists a bishop and supervises clergy.

The archdeacon meets local clergy to discuss repairs to the church.

A senior cleric coordinates two junior clergy beside a bishop, making the archdeacon's intermediate supervisory role visible through a clear chain of attention and action.
Etymology
archGreekchief
+deaconGreekservant; church official

The pieces mean “chief deacon,” with deacon originally meaning a servant or church attendant. The title identifies a senior official charged with oversight of part of a bishop’s diocese.

In context

Libranima111:02
my brother, who is the archdeacon of Josas, can think of nothing else.
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame - Hugo (Illustrated Audiobook) Part 2 of 2

More examples

  • The bishop asked the archdeacon to visit the parish.
  • Two archdeacons attended the regional meeting.
  • The new archdeacon oversees several church districts.

Forms

archdeacon · archdeacons

Similar words

bishop
A higher church leader with a broader supervisory role.
deacon
A distinct ordained ministry without the archdeacon's supervisory office.