Dekan

dean (church or university)

noun deh-KAHN Rare

Origin: from Latin decanus, 'head of ten'

Usage Note

Dekan has two main senses: in the church, a clergy supervisor overseeing several parishes (Dekanat); in universities, the head of a faculty. Context clarifies which is meant. Feminine: Dekanin.

Examples

"Der Dekan lud alle Gemeindepfarrer zu einer Konferenz ein."

Natural Translation

The dean invited all parish priests to a conference.

Literal Translation

The dean invited all parish-priests to a conference.

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