Those of you failing in your attempts to explain away Phoebe being a church's deacon via your 'word studies', etc:
Take a gander at Romans 16:2 where she is called prostatis, lit. "a woman set over others".
The conservative ESV translates this with the English word patron; not patroness, mind you, but patron.
According to the Online Etymological Dictionary, the word patron derived from Latin pater "father" and in English signifies "a lord-master, a protector".
Here is the interlinear Greek to English Translation of verses 1 & 2,
Interlinear Greek to English
1. I-AM-TOGETHER-STANDING YET to-YOU PHOEBE THE sister OF-US BEING THRU-SERVitor OF-THE OUT-CALLED OF THE IN CENCHREA.
I-am-commending to-ye PHOEBE the sister of us being servant of the ecclesia the in Cenchrea
Notice it says of Phoebe is a THRU-SERVitor or Servant. Of the CALLED OUT that is the Church.
2.THAT her YE-SHOULD-BE-TOWARD-RECEIVING IN Master WORTHly OF-THE HOLY-ones AND MAY-BE-BESIDE-STANDING to-her IN WHICH EVER OF-YOU she-MAY-BE-needING to-PRACTISE AND for she BEFORE-STAND OF-MANY WAS-BECOME AND OF-SAME OF-ME
THAT HER ye-should-be-receivng IN Lord WORTHly OF-THE saints AND may-be-standing-by her IN WHICH EVER ye she-MAY-BE-needING matter also for she patroness OF-MANY was-become AND myself OF-ME
Notice it does place the word as Patroness, that she BEFORE-STAND OF-MANY she stood before many as a Patroness.
The greek word is "Prostatis" for which you seem to be looking at this means:
a woman set over others
a female guardian, protectress, patroness, caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources
Notice she aided them with her resources no where is it saying she was a teacher of them, nor that she was anything more than a protectress. This is a little like Rahab and her hiding the spies in Jericho, she was a protectress of them. She was like a Mother to them. Like Here:
1 Timothy 5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity
Like this:
1 Timothy 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man.
10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
She was a motherly figure who cared for the needs as a protectress over others.