minister

B2 Topic:Politics & International Affairs

US /ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/ UK /ˈmɪn.ɪs.tə/ See IPA manual

Freq #1468

Meanings

1

noun
A senior politician in charge of a government department.

The finance minister announced new taxes today.
2

noun
A religious leader, especially in a Protestant church.

The minister said a prayer for the whole congregation.
3

verb
To care for and help people in need.

She spent years ministering to the sick and the poor.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a senior politician in... government minister

2 noun · a religious leader,... pastor parson rector

Word family

Forms ministeredministeringministersministrantministrants

Derived forms e-ministerex-ministerminister-presidentministererministerlessministerlikeministerlyministershipministrationministresssubministersuperminister

Related forms cleric father ministerialministeriumministrixministry parson pastor priest vicar

Etymology

From Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister (“an attendant, servant, assistant, a priest's assistant or other under official”), from minor (“less”) + -ter; see minor. Doublet of Minorite.

*mey- (small) Proto-Indo-European ministre Middle English minister Latin

View etymology graph ->

External links

# minister

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmɪn.ɪs.tə/
**Frequency rank:** 1468

## Meanings
1. A senior politician in charge of a government department.
2. A religious leader, especially in a Protestant church.
3. To care for and help people in need.

## Examples
- The finance minister announced new taxes today.
- The minister said a prayer for the whole congregation.
- She spent years ministering to the sick and the poor.

## Derived Forms
- e-minister
- ex-minister
- minister-president
- ministerer
- ministerless
- ministerlike
- ministerly
- ministership
- ministration
- ministress
- subminister
- superminister

## Related Forms
- cleric
- father
- ministerial
- ministerium
- ministrix
- ministry
- parson
- pastor
- priest
- vicar

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *mey- (small)
- Root: ministre
- Root: minister

## Etymology
From Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister (“an attendant, servant, assistant, a priest's assistant or other under official”), from minor (“less”) + -ter; see minor. Doublet of Minorite.

## AI Etymology
Minister comes from Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister (“an attendant, servant, assistant, a priest's assistant or other under official”), from minor (“less”) + -ter; see minor. Doublet of Minorite. In present-day English its meanings include a senior politician in charge of a government department, a religious leader, especially in a Protestant church, and to care for and help people in need. The historical chain runs through *mey- (small) (Proto-Indo-European), ministre (Middle English), ministre (Old French), and minister (Latin). Related and derived forms include cleric, father, ministerial, and e-minister.

## Topics
- Politics & International Affairs

markdown

minister

Meanings

Thesaurus

Common collocations

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback