\Dean\, n. [OE. dene, deene, OF. deien, dien, F. doyen,
eldest of a corporation, a dean, L. decanus the chief of ten,
one set over ten persons, e. g., over soldiers or over monks,
from decem ten. See {Ten}, and cf. {Decemvir}.]
1. A dignitary or presiding officer in certain ecclesiastical
   and lay bodies; esp., an ecclesiastical dignitary,
   subordinate to a bishop.
{Dean of cathedral church}, the chief officer of a chapter;
   he is an ecclesiastical magistrate next in degree to
   bishop, and has immediate charge of the cathedral and its
   estates.
{Dean of peculiars}, a dean holding a preferment which has
   some peculiarity relative to spiritual superiors and the
   jurisdiction exercised in it. [Eng.]
{Rural dean}, one having, under the bishop, the especial care
   and inspection of the clergy within certain parishes or
   districts of the diocese.
2. The collegiate officer in the universities of Oxford and
   Cambridge, England, who, besides other duties, has regard
   to the moral condition of the college. --Shipley.
3. The head or presiding officer in the faculty of some
   colleges or universities.
4. A registrar or secretary of the faculty in a department of
   a college, as in a medical, or theological, or scientific
   department. [U.S.]
5. The chief or senior of a company on occasion of ceremony;
   as, the dean of the diplomatic corps; -- so called by
   courtesy.
{Cardinal dean}, the senior cardinal bishop of the college of
   cardinals at Rome. --Shipley.
{Dean and chapter}, the legal corporation and governing body
   of a cathedral. It consists of the dean, who is chief, and
   his canons or prebendaries.
{Dean of arches}, the lay judge of the court of arches.
{Dean of faculty}, the president of an incorporation or
   barristers; specifically, the president of the
   incorporation of advocates in Edinburgh.
{Dean of guild}, a magistrate of Scotch burghs, formerly, and
   still, in some burghs, chosen by the Guildry, whose duty
   is to superintend the erection of new buildings and see
   that they conform to the law.
{Dean of a monastery}, {Monastic dean}, a monastic superior
   over ten monks.
{Dean's stall}. See {Decanal stall}, under {Decanal}.