Minister Meaning
/ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
nounA person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
Sentence Examples
The press besieged the minister with questions.
The foreign minister attended the talks.
He was correct in his assertion that the minister had been lying.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The prime ____ from Canada will meet with the president next week.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The foreign ____ traveled to the capital city to discuss the new international trade agreement with the country's local political leaders.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man."
— 1661 (first printed), Francis Bacon, A Letter of Advice to the Duke of Buckingham:
"[…], I choſe / Camillo for the miniſter, to poyſon / My friend Polixenes: […]"
— c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 287, column 2:
"And Moſes roſe vp, and his miniſter Ioſhua: and Moſes went vp into the mount of God."
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 24:13, column 1:
"I do vvell beleeue your Highneſſe, and did it to miniſter occaſion to theſe Gentlemen, […]"
— 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 7, column 2:
"([…] 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)"
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians 9:10, column 2:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The prime ____ from Canada will meet with the president next week.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The foreign ____ traveled to the capital city to discuss the new international trade agreement with the country's local political leaders.