deaconess

D2E1A1C3O1N1E1S1S1
US, UK/ˌdiːkəˈnɛs/

noun

A non-clerical role for women in some churches.

OriginMiddle English dekenesse →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

noundeaconess (plural deaconesses)

plural deaconesses

  1. ChristianityA non-clerical role for women in some churches.
  2. rareChristianityA female deacon.
  3. A female servant in the early Christian church.
  4. The nun in charge of the altar in a convent.
  5. One of an order of women in some Protestant churches who nurse the sick and tend the poor.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishdekenesse
  2. Englishdeaconess

Inherited from Middle English dekenesse; equivalent to deacon + -ess.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek διάκονος
  • διάκονος (diákonos)female servant
Finnish diakonissa, diakonissa
  • diakonissafemale deacon
  • diakonissafemale servant
French diaconesse, diaconisse
  • diaconessefemale deacon
  • diaconissefemale deacon
  • diaconessefemale servant
  • diaconissefemale servant
German Diakonin, Diakonisse
  • Diakoninfemale deacon
  • Diakonissefemale deacon
  • Diakonissinfemale deacon
Greek διακόνισσα
  • διακόνισσα (diakónissa)female deacon
Irish bandeagánach, bandeagánach
  • bandeagánachfemale deacon
  • bandeagánachfemale servant
Italian diaconessa
  • diaconessafemale deacon
Latin diaconissa
  • diaconissafemale deacon
Norwegian Bokmål diakonisse, diakonisse
  • diakonissefemale deacon
  • diakonissefemale servant
Portuguese diaconisa, diácona
  • diaconisafemale deacon
  • diáconafemale deacon
Spanish diaconisa, diácona
  • diaconisafemale deacon
  • diáconafemale deacon
  • diaconisafemale servant
  • diáconafemale servant
Swedish diakonissa, diakonissa
  • diakonissafemale deacon
  • diakonissafemale servant
Welsh diacones, blaenores
  • diaconesfemale deacon
  • blaenoresfemale deacon
  • diaconesfemale servant
  • blaenoresfemale servant
Cite this entry
APA

deaconess. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deaconess

MLA

“deaconess.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deaconess. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deaconess,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deaconess.

Source: deaconess on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.