dean etymology

Etymology:

  • Old English: Deán
  • Proto-Germanic: *Dehans
  • Proto-Indo-European: *Dheḱ-

Meaning:

  • Chief
  • Leader
  • Ruler

Origin:

The word "dean" has a complex etymology, rooted in Proto-Indo-European. It is believed to originate from the root *Dheḱ-, which means "chief" or "leader." This root is also found in other words such as "duke" and "dictator."

The word entered Old English as "Deán," which referred to a chief or ruler, particularly an ecclesiastical official. It was originally used to describe the head of a monastery or cathedral chapter. Over time, the meaning of "dean" expanded, and it began to be used to refer to other types of leaders, such as the head of a faculty or department in a university.

In modern English, "dean" is primarily used as a title for the head of a school, college, or university faculty. It can also refer to a high-ranking official in a religious or other institution.

dean relate terms

  • doyen

    Etymology The word doyen is derived from the Old French word doiien which in turn co

  • dean

    Etymology Old English Deán Proto Germanic Dehans Proto Indo European Dheḱ Me

  • subdean

    Etymology The term subdean derives from the Latin words sub beneath and decanus

  • dean

    Etymology Old English Deán Proto Germanic Dehans Proto Indo European Dheḱ Me

  • cent

    Etymology The word cent is derived from the Latin word centum meaning hundred Me

  • centenarian

    Etymology Centenarian is derived from the Latin words centum hundred and annus

  • centenary

    Etymology From Latin centēnārius meaning pertaining to a hundred From centēni

  • centi

    Etymology The word centi comes from the Latin word centum meaning hundred It was

  • centime

    Etymology From French centime from cent hundred Introduced into English in the 19th

  • centurion

    Etymology Latin centurio Proto Indo European ḱm̥tós English centurion Meaning

  • century

    Etymology The word century is derived from the Latin word centuria which refers to a

  • centennial

    Etymology Latin centennialis French centenaire English centennial Meaning

  • cinquecento

    Etymology From Italian cinquecento 500 from Late Latin quingenti 500 from qui

  • dean

    Etymology Old English Deán Proto Germanic Dehans Proto Indo European Dheḱ Me

  • deca

    Etymology The word deca comes from the Greek word deka meaning ten It is a prefix

  • decade

    Etymology The word decade derives from the Latin word decem meaning ten In the ea

  • decagon

    Etymology New Latin decagonum from Greek dekagonon from deka ten gonia angle

  • Decalogue

    Etymology The word decalogue is derived from the Greek words deka δέκα meaning

  • Decameron

    Etymology Greek deka ten hemera day Meaning Ten Days or Ten Day Stor

  • decapod

    Etymology Derived from Greek deka ten pod foot Meaning An animal that

  • December

    Etymology December derives from the Latin word decem meaning ten It was originally

  • decennial

    Etymology Latin decennialis occurring every ten years New Latin decennalis Middle

  • deci

    Etymology The word deci is derived from the Latin word decimus meaning tenth Mea

  • decile

    Etymology French décile Latin decilis PIE root dek ten Meaning A deci

  • decimal

    Etymology From Latin decimalis meaning of or relating to tenths Ultimately derived

  • decimate

    Etymology Derived from the Latin verb decimāre meaning to take a tenth part Me

  • decimation

    Etymology From Latin decimare to tithe from decimus tenth Meaning Origina

  • decuple

    Etymology From Latin decuplus tenfold from decem ten plus more Meaning

  • decussate

    Etymology Decussate comes from the Latin verb decussare meaning to cross in the for

  • denarius

    Etymology The word denarius is derived from the Latin word deni meaning ten Mean

  • dicker

    Etymology Middle Dutch dic thick Proto Germanic thikwaz thick Meaning Ad

  • dime

    Etymology From the Latin phrase dime mediae notae meaning half of a nota Nota i

  • dinar

    Etymology The word dinar is derived from the Late Latin word denarius which was a R

  • doyen

    Etymology The word doyen is derived from the Old French word doiien which in turn co

  • dozen

    Etymology The word dozen comes from the Old French word douzaine which in turn comes

  • duodecimal

    Etymology Late Latin duodecimalis Latin duodēnī ālis from Latin duodēnī twe

  • duodecimo

    Etymology The word duodecimo comes from the Latin phrase duodecimo loco which means

  • eighteen

    Etymology Old English eahtatyne from eaht eight tiene ten Meaning A car

  • fifteen

    Etymology Originating from Old English fiftiene inflected form of fif five and

  • fourteen

    Etymology The word fourteen traces its roots back to Old English where it was written

  • hecatomb

    Etymology of Hecatomb The word hecatomb is derived from the Ancient Greek words ἑ

  • hendeca

    Etymology Latin hendeca Greek endeka Proto Indo European nekmt eleven Meanin

  • hundred

    Etymology The word hundred comes from the Old English word hundrēd meaning group

  • icosahedron

    Etymology The word icosahedron comes from the Greek words eikosi meaning twenty

  • nineteen

    Etymology The word nineteen comes from the Old English phrase nigontyne which itself

  • nonagenarian

    Etymology The word nonagenarian is derived from the Latin words nona nine and g

  • octogenarian

    Etymology octo Latin eight geni Latin to produce arian Latin suffix pertaini

  • Pentecost

    Etymology Greek πεντηκοστή pentēkostē meaning fiftieth day Meanin

  • percent

    Etymology Origin Latin per centum meaning by the hundred Origin French pour c

  • quattrocento

    Etymology Italian quattrocento Meaning The 15th century specifically in Italian

  • Septuagint

    Etymology Latin Septuaginta Greek Ἑβδομήκοντα Hebdomēkonta Meaning a

  • seventeen

    Etymology The name SEVENTEEN is a combination of two Korean words Se 세 mean

  • sixteen

    Etymology The word sixteen comes from the Old English word sixtīene which is itself

  • tenth

    Etymology Old English tēoða from Proto Germanic tehun dōn from Proto Indo European

  • thirteen

    Etymology The word thirteen comes from the Old English word þrēotēne which is a c

  • thousand

    Etymology The word thousand comes from the Old English word þūsend which is cogna

  • tithe

    Etymology The word tithe comes from the Old English word teotha which in turn comes

  • wroth

    Etymology The word wroth is derived from the Old English word wrāþ which means an

  • spoonerism

    Etymology Coined in 1883 by William Archibald Spooner a British clergyman and professo

  • senior

    Etymology The word senior comes from the Old French word seinher meaning lord or

  • Dane

    Etymology Old English Dena Proto Germanic Deniz Proto Indo European Dʰen Meaning

  • cardinal

    Etymology The word cardinal comes from the Latin word cardinalis meaning chief or

  • elder

    Etymology Old English eald comparative eldra Proto Germanic alþiz Proto Indo Europ

  • character

    Character Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology The word character derives from th

  • brace

    Etymology The word brace has several etymological roots Middle English brace de

  • souvenir

    Etymology The word souvenir is derived from the French word souvenir which means t