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"dean (of a faculty)" in seven languages

Meaningdean (of a faculty)

Spanish

decano

/deˈkano/

masc.learned

fem.: decana

Also the oldest or longest-serving member of a group.

French

doyen

/dwajɛ̃/

masc.inherited

fem.: doyenne

Also the oldest member: le doyen du village.

Italian

preside

/ˈprɛside/

masc.other source · Latin PRAESIDEM 'one who presides'

Preside di facoltà; also a school head. Decano means the oldest member.

Portuguese

diretor

/dʒiɾeˈtoh/

masc.other source · Late Latin DĪRĒCTŌREM 'guide' (learned)

Decano exists, but means the senior member of a body.

Romanian

decan

/deˈkan/

masc.learned

Catalan

degà

/dəˈɡa/

masc.inherited

Catalan voiced the -c- and dropped final -n: DECĀNUM → degà.

English

dean

/din/

from Latin/French · Anglo-French deien, from Latin DECĀNUS

English → Italiandean (of a faculty)presideNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: decade, decimal (from DECEM 'ten').What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

DECĀNUM‘chief of ten (soldiers, then monks)’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

A DECĀNUS commanded ten men, then ten monks, then a chapter of clergy and finally a faculty. French wore it down to doyen (the c between vowels vanished); Spanish took it back from Latin.

English relatives: decade, decimal (from DECEM 'ten')

Sound laws at work

Voiceless stops between vowels soften

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In a sentence

  • esEl decano inauguró el curso académico.
  • frLe doyen a ouvert l'année universitaire.
  • itIl preside ha inaugurato l'anno accademico.
  • ptO diretor abriu o ano letivo.
  • roDecanul a deschis anul universitar.
  • caEl degà va inaugurar el curs acadèmic.
  • enThe dean opened the academic year.

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