How do you use the word "deacon" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "deacon": Tom is a deacon in his church. Sami wanted to become a deacon.

Deacon Meaning

/ˈdiːkən/

Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

nounA designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).

nounA modern-day member of a church who handles secular and/or administrative duties in a priest's stead, the specifics of which depends on denomination., A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.

Sentence Examples

Tom is a deacon in his church.

Sami wanted to become a deacon.

I got a call from a deacon in your church.

CEFR Practice Quiz

The ____ read a passage from the Bible during the Sunday service.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

Tom is a ____ in his church.

Word Origin & History

Inherited from Middle English deken, dekne, from Old English diacon, from Ecclesiastical Latin diāconus, from Ancient Greek διᾱ́κονος (diā́konos, “servant, minister”).

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"Chapman was a lay missionary and was not deaconed until 1844 and priested in 1852." — 1992, Allan Davidson, Donald D. Hook, “New Zealand's Prayer Book”, in Anglican and Episcopal History, 61.3, pages 247-251:

"Thus, Samuel Seabury... was deaconed by the Bishop of Lincoln and priested by the Bishop of Carlisle." — 2013, Gregory K. Cameron, “Locating the Anglican Communion in the History of Anglicanism”, in The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the Anglican Communion, page 3:

"The blanc mange was lumpy, and the strawberries not as ripe as they looked, having been skilfully 'deaconed'." — 1868, Louisa May Alcott, Little Women:

"It's like buying a barrel of apples that's been deaconed — after you've found that the deeper you go the meaner and wormier the fruit, you forget all about the layer of big, rosy, wax-finished pippins that was on top." — 1902, George Horace Lorimer, Old Gorgon Graham:

"And like a mirror image in gestures if not in looks, Steward spit fresh Blue Boy while Deek lit a cigar. However disgusted both were, K.D. knew they would not negotiate a solution that would endanger him or the future of Morgan money. His grandfather had named his twins Deacon and Steward for a reason." — 1997, Toni Morrison, Paradise, Random House, published 2010, →ISBN, page 55:

Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words