Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: deien, from Late Latin decanus 'person in charge of ten others', from Latin decem 'ten'

dean

 noun
     
Related topics: Christianity, College
dean [countable]
1RRCRRC a priest of high rank in the Christian church who is in charge of several priests or churches
2SEC someone in a university who is responsible for a particular area of work:
the admissions dean
3 American English someone with a lot of experience of a particular job or subject [= doyen British English]
dean of
Neier is the dean of American human rights activism.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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