deans

Noun (1)

dean (plural deans)

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).
   • Lucretius versus the Lake Poets ' Nature I loved ; and next to Nature , Art . '
     Dean , adult education may seem silly .
     What of it though ? I got some willy - nilly
     The other evening at your college deanery .
     And grateful for it ( Let's not be facetious!)[…]1995 October, Robert Frost, Richard Poirier, Robert Frost: Collected Poems, Prose, & Plays (LOA #81) (DE-601)374069697: Library of America series), Library of America, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 357
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.

   Synonyms:

   provost

3. The senior member of some group of people.
   • dean of the diplomatic corps - a country's most senior ambassador

Noun (2)

dean (plural deans)

1. (Sussex) A hill.

See all 32 meanings of dean