ministry

C1 Topic:Places & Geography

US /ˈmɪnɪstɹi/ See IPA manual

Freq #5074

Meanings

1

noun
A government department responsible for a particular area, usually headed by a minister.

She works for the Ministry of Finance.
2

noun
The work or profession of a religious minister.

After college, he decided to enter the ministry.
3

noun
All the government ministers led by a head of government, considered as a group.

The prime minister formed a new ministry after the election.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms ministries

Derived forms interministryintraministrymegaministryministerialministryshipsuperministryunderministry

Etymology

From Middle English mynisterie, borrowed from Old French menistere, in turn borrowed itself from Latin ministerium; equivalent to minister + -y.

mynisterie Middle English menistere Old French ministerium Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Places & Geography Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ministry

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɪnɪstɹi/
**Frequency rank:** 5074

## Meanings
1. A government department responsible for a particular area, usually headed by a minister.
2. The work or profession of a religious minister.
3. All the government ministers led by a head of government, considered as a group.

## Examples
- She works for the Ministry of Finance.
- After college, he decided to enter the ministry.
- The prime minister formed a new ministry after the election.

## Derived Forms
- interministry
- intraministry
- megaministry
- ministerial
- ministryship
- superministry
- underministry

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mynisterie
- Root: menistere
- Root: ministerium

## Etymology
From Middle English mynisterie, borrowed from Old French menistere, in turn borrowed itself from Latin ministerium; equivalent to minister + -y.

## AI Etymology
Ministry comes from Middle English mynisterie, borrowed from Old French menistere, in turn borrowed itself from Latin ministerium; equivalent to minister + -y. The historical chain includes mynisterie (Middle English), menistere (Old French), and ministerium (Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as interministry, intraministry, megaministry, and ministerial. In present use it covers a government department responsible for a particular area, usually headed by a minister, the work or profession of a religious minister, and all the government ministers led by a head of government, considered as a group.

## Topics
- Places & Geography
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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