Decanate

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Face, one of three parts into which each zodiac sign is divided; a decan.

    "If any planet be in his decanate, or face, he has the least possible essential dignity"

  2. 2
    A group of parishes over which a dean presides; a deanery.

    "These parishes are divided into 80 decanates or chapters. In each decanate there are from ten to eighteen parishes. At the head of each decanate stands the dean,"

Example

More examples

"If any planet be in his decanate, or face, he has the least possible essential dignity"

Etymology

Etymology 1

Of decan + -ate. Attested from the 17th century.

Etymology 2

From Medieval Latin decānātus, from Latin decānus. Equivalent to Latin decānus + -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office, here the concrete charge of it). Compare dean.

More for "decanate"

SynonymsSentencesPronunciationTranslate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciationBrowse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.