minister
//ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ//
Forms
- Plural
- ministers
- present (v1)
- minister
- past (v2)
- ministered
- past participle (v3)
- ministered
- present participle
- ministering
- 3rd person singular
- ministers
Definitions
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.
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.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1576
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Synonyms
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.