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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

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

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

foreign minister
a government official responsible for relations with other countries

Adjective + noun

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 ->

Topics

Politics & International Affairs

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

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