minister

min·is·ter

Use minister in a sentence

A minister performing a wedding ceremony.

noun

The definition of a minister is a person chosen to carry out given orders or church functions.
1. An example of a minister is someone appointed by a government to lead a governmental department.
2. An example of a minister is the person authorized to perform marriage ceremonies in a church.

verb

Minister is defined as to provide or give help.
An example of to minister is a therapist giving advice to a client.

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MLA Style

"minister." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/minister>.

APA Style

minister. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/minister

minister

a person acting for another as agent and carrying out given orders or designs; specif.,
1. a person appointed by the head of a government to take charge of some department
2. a diplomatic officer sent to a foreign nation to represent his or her government, usually ranking below an ambassador
1. anyone authorized to carry out or assist in the spiritual functions of a church
2. an ordained member of a Protestant church; esp., a pastor
the superior of certain Roman Catholic religious orders
a person or thing thought of as serving as the agent of some power, force, etc.: a minister of evil

Origin of minister

Old French ministre from Classical Latin minister, an attendant, servant, in LL(Ec), Christian preacher from base of Classical Latin minor, minor: formed probably after magister, master

to supply; provide
to administer

Origin of minister

ME ministren < OFr ministrer < L ministrare

to serve as a minister in a church
to give help (to)

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MLA Style

"minister." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/minister>.

APA Style

minister. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/minister

minister

noun

a. One who is authorized to perform religious functions in a Christian church, especially a Protestant church.
b. Roman Catholic Church The superior in certain orders.
A high officer of state appointed to head an executive or administrative department of government.
An authorized diplomatic representative of a government, usually ranking next below an ambassador.
A person serving as an agent for another by carrying out specified orders or functions.

verb

min·is·tered, min·is·ter·ing, min·is·ters

verb

intransitive

To attend to the wants and needs of others: Volunteers ministered to the homeless after the flood. See Synonyms at tend ².
To perform the functions of a cleric.

verb

transitive

To administer or dispense (a sacrament, for example).

Origin of minister

Middle English ministre from Old French from Latin minister servant ; see mei-² in Indo-European roots.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"minister." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/minister>.

APA Style

minister. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/minister

Noun

(plural ministers)

A person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church.
The minister said a prayer on behalf of the entire congregation.
A politician who heads a ministry (national or regional government department for public service).
He was newly appointed to be Minister of the Interior.
At a diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument.

Related terms

Verb

(third-person singular simple present ministers, present participle ministering, simple past and past participle ministered)

To attend to (the needs of); to tend; to take care (of); to give aid; to give service.
A newspaper headline: Couple leaves business world to minister to inner-city children
to function as a clergyman or as the officiant in church worship
(archaic) To afford, to give, to supply.

Anagrams

interims

Origin

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.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.