1. Eccles. law. An officer who leads a chapter, parish, or other subdivision of a diocese, usu. upon a bishop’s request or appointment.
“A dean and chapter are the council of the bishop, to assist him with their advice in affairs of religion, and also in the temporal concerns of his see …. All ancient deans are elected by the chapter, by conge d’eslire from the king, and letters missive of recommendation; in the same manner as bishops: but in those chapters, that were founded by Henry VIII out of the spoils of the dissolved monasteries, the deanery is donative …. The chapter, consisting of canons or prebendaries, are sometimes appointed by the king, sometimes by the bishop, and sometimes elected by each other.” 1 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 370–71 (1765).
2. In a school, college, or university, the administrative or academic head. • In larger schools, there may be several kinds of deans, such as a dean of admissions and a dean of student affairs. Within a university, there may be deans of specific schools. [Cases: Colleges and Universities
7. C.J.S. Colleges and Universities §§ 15–18.]
3. The head or commander of a group of ten, such as ten soldiers or ten monks.
