[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

deaconess \dea"coness\, n. eccl.
   a female deacon; as:
   a primitive ch. one of an order of women whose duties
       resembled those of deacons.
   b ch. of eng. and prot. epis. ch. a woman set apart for
       church work by a bishop.
   c a woman chosen as a helper in church work, as among the
       congregationalists.
       1913 webster

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

deaconess
     n : a woman deacon

[3] : Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

deaconess
   rom. 16:1, 3, 12; phil. 4:2, 3; 1 tim. 3:11; 5:9, 10; titus 2:3,
   4. in these passages it is evident that females were then
   engaged in various christian ministrations. pliny makes mention
   of them also in his letter to trajan a.d. 110.
   

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Deaconess, definition of term: Deaconess
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