1. (n.) A dignitary or presiding officer in certain ecclesiastical and lay bodies; esp., an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop.

2. (n.) The collegiate officer in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, England, who, besides other duties, has regard to the moral condition of the college.

3. (n.) The head or presiding officer in the faculty of some colleges or universities.

4. (n.) A registrar or secretary of the faculty in a department of a college, as in a medical, or theological, or scientific department.

5. (n.) The chief or senior of a company on occasion of ceremony; as, the dean of the diplomatic corps; -- so called by courtesy.

A per se Grand Penitentiary Holy Father abuna academic dean ace administration administrator antipope archbishop archdeacon archon archpriest bellwether bishop bishop coadjutor boss canon cardinal cardinal bishop cardinal deacon cardinal priest champion chancellor chaplain chief chief executive chief executive officer coadjutor commander curate dean of men dean of women diocesan doyen doyenne ecclesiarch elder eldest exarch executive executive director executive officer executive secretary father first-born firstling fugleman genius guide head headmaster headmistress hierarch high priest higher-up important person kingfish kingpin laureate lead leader magistrate management managing director master metropolitan nonpareil officer official older oldest papa paragon patriarch penitentiary personage pilot pontiff pope prebendary prefect prelate president prexy primate principal prodigy provost rector ruler rural dean secretary senior sire star subdean suffragan superior superman superstar the administration the greatest the most top dog treasurer vicar vice-chancellor vice-president virtuoso warden