minister
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈmɪn.ɪs.tə//
- United States//ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ//
- United States//ˈmɪn.ɪ-//
- Ireland//ˈmɪn.ə.stɚ//
A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
noun
- 1
A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
The minister said a prayer on behalf of the entire congregation.
- 2
A person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
- 3
A politician who heads a ministry
He was newly appointed to be Minister of the Interior.
Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man.
- 4
In diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
- 5
A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument.
[…], I choſe / Camillo for the miniſter, to poyſon / My friend Polixenes: […]
And Moſes roſe vp, and his miniſter Ioſhua: and Moſes went vp into the mount of God.
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.
verb
- 1
To attend to (the needs of); to tend; to take care (of); to give aid; to give service.
- 2
To function as a clergyman or as the officiant in church worship.
- 3
archaicTo afford, to give, to supply.
I do vvell beleeue your Highneſſe, and did it to miniſter occaſion to theſe Gentlemen, […]
([…] Now he that miniſtreth ſeede to the ſower, both miniſter bread for your foode, and multiply your ſeede ſowen, and encreaſe the fruites of your righteouſneſſe)
We minister to God reason to suspect us.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English mynystren, from Middle French ministrer, from Old French menistrer, ministrer and Latin ministrō, from minister.
Forms
- plural
- ministers
- past tense
- ministered
- past participle
- ministered
- present participle
- ministering
- third person singular
- ministers
minister · A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
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