minister
1 of 2noun
min·is·ter ˈmi-nə-stər 
1
: agent
the angels are ministers of the divine will
H. P. Liddon
H. P. Liddon2
a
: one officiating or assisting the officiant in church worship
b
: a clergyman or clergywoman especially of a Protestant communion
3
a
: the superior (see superior entry 2 sense 1) of one of several religious orders
called also minister-general
b
: the assistant to the rector or the bursar of a Jesuit house
4
: a high officer of state entrusted with the management of a division of governmental activities
the British Minister of Defence
5
a
: a diplomatic representative (such as an ambassador) accredited to the court (see court entry 1 sense 1c) or seat of government of a foreign state
b
: a diplomatic representative ranking below an ambassador
minister
2 of 2verb
ministered; ministering ˈmi-nə-st(ə-)riŋ
intransitive verb
1
: to function as a minister of religion
2
: to give aid or service
minister to the sick
Synonyms
Noun
- agent
- ambassador
- delegate
- emissary
- envoy
- legate
- representative
Verb
- administer (to)
- care (for)
- mother
- nurse
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun the British ministers at the international peace conference our minister gives an interesting sermon every week
Recent Examples on the Web Adam Geller, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Darhan Qydyrali, minister of information and social development, said the presence of world religious leaders in the country was fully in Kazakhstan’s national interests. Nicole Winfield, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2022 As Queen Elizabeth II's coffin embarked on its final journey from Balmoral Castle, Scotland's first minister posted a touching tribute to the late monarch. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2022 In 2012, the queen shook hands with Martin McGuinness, a former commander of the Irish Republican Army who had become deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. Claire Parker, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Sep. 2022 Meanwhile, Robert Buckland became the first cabinet minister to publicly switch endorsements for the Tory leadership from Sunak to Truss, the Telegraph reported Saturday. Alex Wickham, Bloomberg.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Contrast to Germany, where the economics minister, who's a leader of the Green Party, is in tense conversation and in coordination with the energy companies. CBS News, 31 Aug. 2022 The waters have also destroyed roads and bridges, further complicating relief efforts, the chief minister of the southern Balochistan province, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, told a news conference Monday. Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC News, 30 Aug. 2022 The plan was announced on Sunday by the Macron government's budget minister, Gabriel Attal, on the French news channel LCI. Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 29 Aug. 2022 Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 15 July 2022 Some churches had to close when a priest died or retired, or were grouped together with other churches served by traveling priests who minister to multiple parishes. Fox News, 5 Jan. 2022 The group, all of which have signed multi-year commitments to minister in Haiti included 12 adults ranging in age from 18 to 48, and five children, ages 8 months (at the time of the incident), 3, 6, 13 and 15 years old. Amy L. Knapp, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2021 French armed forces minister Florence Parly said in September. Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2021 And now, my calling is primarily to minister at the Haven of Rest, Akron’s Christian city mission. Terry Pluto, cleveland, 6 Dec. 2021 For Greene, a member of Grace Apostolic since 1984, participation in the ecumenical choir is another opportunity to minister to someone who may be in need. Justin L. Mack, The Indianapolis Star, 4 July 2021 Borns returned to his South Dallas neighborhood and tried to minister to the homeless and downtrodden. Jennifer Emily, Dallas News, 13 May 2021 The Archdiocese claims that its constitutional rights are being violated by not being able to minister to prisoners seeking services. Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7 May 2021 See More
Noun
Walker and others said Queen Elizabeth II had earned a measure of respect, if never affection, for her decision in 2012 to shake hands with Martin McGuinness, the former IRA commander who went on to serve as Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister. Adam Geller, ajc, 13 Sep. 2022 Darhan Qydyrali, minister of information and social development, said the presence of world religious leaders in the country was fully in Kazakhstan’s national interests. Nicole Winfield, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2022 As Queen Elizabeth II's coffin embarked on its final journey from Balmoral Castle, Scotland's first minister posted a touching tribute to the late monarch. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2022 In 2012, the queen shook hands with Martin McGuinness, a former commander of the Irish Republican Army who had become deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. Claire Parker, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Sep. 2022 Meanwhile, Robert Buckland became the first cabinet minister to publicly switch endorsements for the Tory leadership from Sunak to Truss, the Telegraph reported Saturday. Alex Wickham, Bloomberg.com, 13 Aug. 2022 Contrast to Germany, where the economics minister, who's a leader of the Green Party, is in tense conversation and in coordination with the energy companies. CBS News, 31 Aug. 2022 The waters have also destroyed roads and bridges, further complicating relief efforts, the chief minister of the southern Balochistan province, Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, told a news conference Monday. Mushtaq Yusufzai, NBC News, 30 Aug. 2022 The plan was announced on Sunday by the Macron government's budget minister, Gabriel Attal, on the French news channel LCI. Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 29 Aug. 2022 Verb
In the lawsuit, the Catholic archdiocese contended that its constitutional rights were being violated by not being able to minister to prisoners seeking services. Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 15 July 2022 Some churches had to close when a priest died or retired, or were grouped together with other churches served by traveling priests who minister to multiple parishes. Fox News, 5 Jan. 2022 The group, all of which have signed multi-year commitments to minister in Haiti included 12 adults ranging in age from 18 to 48, and five children, ages 8 months (at the time of the incident), 3, 6, 13 and 15 years old. Amy L. Knapp, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2021 French armed forces minister Florence Parly said in September. Washington Post, 21 Dec. 2021 And now, my calling is primarily to minister at the Haven of Rest, Akron’s Christian city mission. Terry Pluto, cleveland, 6 Dec. 2021 For Greene, a member of Grace Apostolic since 1984, participation in the ecumenical choir is another opportunity to minister to someone who may be in need. Justin L. Mack, The Indianapolis Star, 4 July 2021 Borns returned to his South Dallas neighborhood and tried to minister to the homeless and downtrodden. Jennifer Emily, Dallas News, 13 May 2021 The Archdiocese claims that its constitutional rights are being violated by not being able to minister to prisoners seeking services. Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7 May 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English ministre "servant, ecclesiastic, priest, official serving a superior, agent," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin minister "servant, ecclesiastic (short for Deī minister "servant of god"), agent, official," going back to Latin, "servant, priest's attendant, agent," formed from minor-, minus "less, lesser" (with the suffix of location and opposition -ter) after magister "manager, master entry 1" — more at minus entry 1
Verb
Middle English ministren, borrowed from Anglo-French ministrer, borrowed from Latin ministrāre "to act as a servant, serve, supply" (Late Latin, "to serve as an ecclesiastic"), derivative of minister "servant, minister entry 1"
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing minister
Kids Definition
minister 1 of 2
noun
min·is·ter ˈmi-nə-stər
1
: a person who performs religious ceremonies especially in Protestant church services
2
: a government official at the head of a section of government activities
minister of education
3
: a person who represents his or her government in a foreign country
minister
2 of 2verb
ministered; ministering
: to give help or care
minister to the sick
minister
noun
1
as in ambassador
a person sent on a mission to represent another the British ministers at the international peace conference Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- ambassador
- envoy
- delegate
- representative
- diplomat
- consul
- agent
- deputy
- emissary
- missionary
- legate
- spokesperson
- attaché
- foreign minister
- evangelist
- apostle
- procurator
- proxy
- nuncio
- legation
- ambassadress
- messenger
- deputation
- chargé d'affaires
- mouthpiece
- courier
- detachment
2
as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church our minister gives an interesting sermon every week Synonyms & Similar Words
- priest
- preacher
- pastor
- clergyman
- deacon
- reverend
- bishop
- cleric
- clerical
- chaplain
- father
- clerk
- divine
- prelate
- ecclesiastic
- clergyperson
- dominie
- archbishop
- pope
- missionary
- priestess
- churchman
- rector
- vicar
- monk
- dean
- deaconess
- evangelist
- abbot
- padre
- parson
- presbyter
- curé
- clergywoman
- diocesan
- abbé
- shepherd
- missioner
- confessor
- archpriest
- religious
- curate
- friar
- revivalist
- monsignor
- Holy Joe
- mendicant
- monastic
- sky pilot
- high priestess
- high priest
- oblate
- missionizer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- layman
- layperson
- secular
- lector
- lay reader
3
as in deputy
a person who acts or does business for another she's merely a minister of the corporation Synonyms & Similar Words
- deputy
- delegate
- representative
- agent
- attorney
- ambassador
- manager
- envoy
- proxy
- rep
- spokesperson
- procurator
- commissary
- diplomat
- factor
- assignee
- spokesman
- plenipotentiary
- foreign minister
- speaker
- diplomatist
- substitute
- surrogate
- distributor
- emissary
- replacement
- operative
- spy
- liaison
- sub
- alternate
- legate
- broker
- mediator
- informer
- conciliator
- peacemaker
- intermediary
- relief
- prophet
- understudy
- arbiter
- backup
- arbitrator
- pinch hitter
- intercessor
- middleman
- stand-in
- mouthpiece
- point man
- comprador
- point person
- compradore
- go-between
- interposer
Phrases Containing minister
- hyperemias
- hyperemic
- hyperemotional
- hyperemotionalities
- hyperemotionality
- hyperendemic
- hyperendemicity
- hyperenergetic
- hyperer
- hyperessence
- hyperest
- hyperesthesia
- hyperesthesias
- hyperesthetic
- hypereuryene
- hypereuryeny
- hypereutectic
- hypereutectoid
- hyperexcitabilities
- hyperexcitability
- hyperexcitable
- hyperexcited
- hyperexcitement
- hyperexcitements
- hyperexcretion