Dean

UK: 'dean', 'Dean': /diːn/ US: /din/ ,(dēn)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Dean / diːn/ noun

1. Forest of Dean ⇒ a forest in W England, in Gloucestershire, between the Rivers Severn and Wye: formerly a royal hunting ground

Dean / diːn/ noun

1. Christopher. See Torvill and Dean
2. James (Byron). 1931–55, US film actor, who became a cult figure; his films include East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause (both 1955). He died in a car crash

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dean¹ /din/   n. [countable]

1. Education an official in a college, esp. the head of faculty, or one in charge of students, etc.
2. Religion an official in charge of a church or a diocese.
3. the senior member, in length of service, of a profession, etc.:
   the dean of American composers.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dean¹  (dēn), n. 

1. Education
   • the head of a faculty, school, or administrative division in a university or college:
     the dean of admissions.
   • an official in an American college or secondary school having charge of student personnel services, such as counseling or discipline:
     the dean of men.
   • Education the official in charge of undergraduate students at an English university.
2. Religion [Eccles.]
   • the head of the chapter of a cathedral or a collegiate church.
   • Also called vicar forane. a priest in the Roman Catholic Church appointed by a bishop to take care of the affairs of a division of a diocese.
3. the senior member, in length of service, of any group, organization, profession, etc.:
   the dean of lexicographers.

• Late Latin decānus chief of ten, equivalent. to Latin dec(em) ten + -ānus -an
• Anglo-French deen, dean, Old French deien
• Middle English deen 1300–50

dean′ship, n. 

dean²  (dēn), n. [Brit.]

1. British Terms dene.

Dean  (dēn), n. 

1. Biographical James (Byron), 1931–55, U.S. actor.
2. Place Names, Biographical Jay Hanna ("Dizzy''), 1911–74, U.S. baseball pitcher.
3. a male given name: from the Old English family name meaning "valley.''

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dene  (dēn), n. [Brit.]

1. British Terms a bare, sandy tract or low sand hill near the sea.

Also, dean. 

• 1815–20; earlier den, in same sense, Middle English (in phrase den and strond); perh. to be identified with Middle English dene, Old English denu, dænu valley

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dean / diːn/ noun

1. the chief administrative official of a college or university faculty
2. (at Oxford and Cambridge universities) a college fellow with responsibility for undergraduate discipline
3. the head of a chapter of canons and administrator of a cathedral or collegiate church
4. the cardinal bishop senior by consecration and head of the college of cardinals
   See also rural dean
   Related adjective(s): decanal

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French deien, from Late Latin decānus one set over ten persons, from Latin decem ten

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dene, dean / diːn/ noun

1. a valley, esp one that is narrow and wooded

Etymology: Old English denu valley; see den

dene, dean / diːn/ noun

1. a sandy stretch of land or dune near the sea

Etymology: 13th Century: probably related to Old English dūn hill; see down³