ministerial
|min-is-ter-i-al|
🇺🇸
/ˌmɪnɪˈstɪriəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌmɪnɪˈstɪəriəl/
relating to a minister or official duties
Etymology
'ministerial' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ministerialis' (from 'minister'), where 'minister' meant 'servant' or 'attendant'.
'ministerial' came into English via Medieval Latin 'ministerialis' and Old French influence; the Medieval Latin term was used to form the English adjective in the late Middle Ages.
Initially it meant 'of or relating to a servant'; over time it evolved to mean 'relating to a minister or to the duties of an office', including administrative and governmental senses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to a minister (either a government minister or a religious minister).
She discussed ministerial duties with the visiting bishops.
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Adjective 2
relating to administration or the carrying out of official, often routine, duties (administrative or executive functions).
The department handled ministerial tasks such as record-keeping and scheduling.
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Adjective 3
(Legal/technical) Performed according to a fixed procedure or established rules without the exercise of personal judgment — a 'ministerial act'.
Filling out the form was a ministerial act; the clerk had no discretion to refuse it.
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Adjective 4
old or formal: servile or subservient in manner (ministerial as 'servant-like').
His ministerial manner toward the nobility annoyed his peers.
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Last updated: 2025/11/05 21:19