1
- the head of the chapter of a cathedral or collegiate church教长, 主任教师。
1.1
- （亦作rural dean）Brit. a member of the clergy exercising supervision over a group of parochial clergy within a division of an archdeaconry〈英〉乡村教区司铎。
2
- the head of a university faculty or department or of a medical school（大学）教务长, 系主任, 院长, 医学院院长。
2.1
- (in a college or university, especially Oxford or Cambridge) a fellow with disciplinary and advisory functions（学院或大学, 尤指牛津或剑桥的）学监。
2.2
- the leader or senior member of a body主任。
词源
Middle English: from Old French deien, from late Latin decanus 'chief of a group of ten', from decem 'ten'. Compare DOYEN.