Definition of "dean" in English

noun

1. A senior official in a college or university, who may be in charge of a division or faculty (for example, the dean of science) or have some other advisory or disciplinary function (for example, the dean of students).

2. A dignitary or presiding officer in certain church bodies, especially an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop, in charge of a chapter of canons.

3. The senior member of some group of people.

   • dean of the diplomatic corps - a country's most senior ambassador
   • dean of the House - the longest-serving member of a legislature

verb

1. (intransitive, rare) To serve as a dean.

2. (transitive, Oxbridge, otherwise rare, informal) To send (a student) to see the dean of a college or university.

noun

1. (Sussex, chiefly in place names) A hill.

noun

1. (Northumbria, chiefly in place names) Alternative form of dene.