\Dea"con*ess\, 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.
Easton Bible Dictionary
Definition:
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).
WordNet Dictionary