minion

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A loyal servant of another, usually a more powerful being.

   The archvillain deployed his minions to simultaneously rob every bank in the city.

2. 2
   noun

   A loved one; one highly esteemed and favoured.

   God's disciple and his dearest minion.

3. 3
   noun

   An ancient form of ordnance with a calibre of about three inches.

   Gun. My Cannons rung like Bells. Here's to my Mistress, The dainty sweet brass Minion: split their Fore-mast, She never fail'd.

Simplified etymology

Minion was borrowed in the early 16th century from French mignon. Its early senses included a ruler’s favorite, a lover, and a term of affection, but these developed into less favorable meanings such as a kept lover, underling, servant, or henchman; the last is now the usual sense.

1490, from Middle French mignon (“lover, royal favourite, darling”), from Old French mignon (“dainty, pleasing, gentle, kind”), from Frankish *minnju (“love, friendship, affection, memory”), from Proto-Germanic *minjō (“affectionate thought, care”), from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to think”). Doublet of mignon.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary