The word "deanery" is spelled with the letter combination "ea" making a long "e" sound like "ee". In phonetic transcription, the pronunciation is [dee-ner-ee]. The word refers to the jurisdiction of a dean in a church or academic institution. The origins of the word stem from the Middle English period where it was the domain of a dean or a senior member of a college or university. In modern times, it is commonly used to describe the position or administrative division in a church.
A deanery refers to a geographical or administrative division consisting of several churches or parishes under the authority of a dean. It is often associated with the ecclesiastical structure within the Christian faith, specifically in the Anglican and Catholic traditions. The deanery is typically a part of a larger diocese, which is headed by a bishop, and serves as a local administrative unit governed by a dean appointed by the bishop.
In terms of its structure, a deanery encompasses multiple parishes, each having its own church and congregation. The dean acts as the principal representative of the bishop within the deanery, overseeing the clergy and ensuring adherence to the policies and teachings of the diocese. The dean may also assist in the coordination of various activities such as pastoral care, liturgical practices, and administrative matters within the deanery.
The main responsibilities of the dean include presiding over deanery meetings, which bring together the clergy and other representatives from the parishes to discuss matters pertaining to the spiritual and organizational aspects of the community. The dean also serves as a liaison between the parishes and the bishop, conveying any concerns or recommendations on behalf of the deanery.
Overall, a deanery serves as an important organizational and administrative unit within a larger religious framework, working in collaboration with the bishop to ensure the smooth functioning and coordination of the local church communities.
The office or revenue of a dean; the residence of a dean.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "deanery" has a Latin origin. It derives from the Latin word "decania" or "decanatus", which means a group of ten or a unit of ten. In the Catholic Church, a deanery originally referred to an administrative division consisting of ten parishes.
Over time, the term "deanery" expanded in meaning and began to refer to the district or jurisdiction of a dean, who is a senior official within the church hierarchy. The deanery developed into an administrative division overseeing a group of parishes or churches, typically headed by a dean.
The word "dean" itself also has Latin roots, coming from the Latin word "decānus", which originally referred to the leader of a group of ten individuals, such as a military unit or a group of monks.