ου (ὁ, ἡ) [ᾱ]
   I adj. qui est au service de, dont on se sert, PLAT. Pol. 290 c ;
   II subst. :
      1 serviteur, servante, HDT. 4, 71, etc. ; CLITARQ. (ATH. 267 c) ; en parl. de messagers, ESCHL. Pr. 942 ; SOPH. Ph. 497 ; en parl. d’un oiseau, SOPH. fr. 141 ; au fém. AR. Th. 1116 ; DÉM. 762, 4 ;
      2 eccl. diacre, NT. 1Tim. 3, 8, etc. ; fém. diaconesse, NT. Rom. 16, 1 ; CLÉM. 1, 1157 a Migne, etc.

• Cp. -ονέστερος, EPICH. (SUID.).

➳ Ion. διήκονος, HDT. l. c.

Ion. διήκονος, ὁ, later διάκων: — servant, Hdt. 4.71, 72, PFlor. 121.3 (iii AD), etc. ; messenger, A. Pr. 942, S. Ph. 497; ὄρνιθα καὶ κήρυκα καὶ δ. Id. Fr. 133; — as fem., Ar. Ec. 1116, D. 24.197.
attendant or official in a temple or religious guild, Inscr.Magn. 109, 217, IG 9(1).486 (Acarnania, ii/i BC), 4.774.12 (Troezen, iii BC); fem., CIG 3037 (Metropolis in Lydia); — esp. in the Christian church, deacon, 1 Ep. Ti. 3.8, etc., POxy. 1162.3 (iv AD); fem., deaconess, Ep. Rom. 16.1. as Adj., servile, menial, ἐπιστήμη Pl. Plt. 290c; irreg. Comp. διακονέστερος Epich. 159Ahr. (Cf. ἐγκονέω, ἀκονιτί.)

[ᾱ], ὁ, ion. διήκονος, der Diener, Bediente ; τυράννου Aesch. Prom. 944 ; Soph. Phil. 497 = Bote ; Her. 4.71 ; Thuc. 1.133 ; πόλεως, Plat. Gorg. 517b, u. sonst bei Sp.; bes. = bei Tisch aufwartend, Ath. VII.291f ; NT ; ἡ δ., Dienerin, Dem. 24.197 ; auch adj., ἐπιστήμη, Plat. Polit. 290c. Dah. auch Kompar., Φρὺξ ἀνὴρ πλαγεὶς ἀμείνων καὶ διακονέστερος, Epicharm. bei Suid. – Nach Buttmann Lexil. I.219 von διήκω, διάκω, womit διώκω zu vgl., eilen, verwandt mit διάκτορος. Gegen die Ableitung der Alten von διὰ – κόνις. in stäubender Hast laufend, od. in Staub arbeitend, ist die Prosodie.

διάκονος, -ου, ὁ, ἡ
(derivation unknown), [in LXX for נַעַר, שָׁרַת pi.: Est.6:3, 5, א B Est.1:10 2:2, Pro.10:4, 4Ma.9:17 * ;]
__1. in general, a servant, attendant, minister: Mat.20:26 22:13 23:11, Mrk.9:35 10:43, Jhn.2:5, 9, 1Co.3:5, Gal.2:17, Eph.6:21, Col.4:7; δ. θεοῦ, Rom.13:4, 2Co.6:4, 1Th.3:2; δ. Χριστοῦ, 2Co.11:23, Col.1:7, 1Ti.4:6; cf. ὁ δ. ὁ ἐμός, Jhn.12:26; δ. περιτομῆς, Rom.15:8; δ. καινῆς διαθήκης, 2Co.3:6; δ. δικαιοσύνης, 2Co.11:15; δ. [εὐαγγελίου], Eph.3:7, Col.1:23; δ. [ἐκκλησίας], Col.1:25.
__2. As technical term for Church officer (so in pre-Christian times, see M, Th., I, 32), a deacon: Php.1:1, 1Ti.3:8, 12; fem. (cf. Eccl. διακονίσσα), Rom.16:1 (cf. 1Ti.3:11, and CGT, in l., also M, Th., l.with).†
SYN.: δοῦλος, bondman; θεράπων, servant acting voluntarily; ὑπηρέτης, servant, attendant, by etymol. suggesting subordination. All these imply relation to a person, in distinction from which δ. represents rather the servant in relation to his work. Cf. also λειτουργός, a public servant, in which the idea of service to the community is prominent; οἰκέτης, a house servant. (AS)