Meanings
minister1
nounminister (plural ministers)
plural ministers
- ChristianityA 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.
- CatholicismA person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
- governmentA politician who heads a ministry
He was newly appointed to be Minister of the Interior.
1 more example
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 BuckinghamSynonyms: government minister
- In diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
- 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: […]
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 21 more example
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
minister2
verbminister (third-person singular simple present ministers, present participle ministering, simple past and past participle ministered)
present singular third person ministers · participle present ministering · participle past ministered · past ministered
- archaictransitiveTo afford, to give, to supply.
We minister to God reason to suspect us.
1651–1653, Jer[emy] Taylor, ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1655, →OCLC2 more examples
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
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA politician who heads a ministry
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nouna person authorized to conduct religious worship
Broader
nouna diplomat representing one government to another; ranks below ambassador
Similar
diplomatic minister
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
minister · noun
- Latinminister“an attendant, servant, assistant, a priest's assistant or other under official”
- Old Frenchministre
- Middle Englishministre
- Englishminister
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.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →minister · verb
- Latinministrō
- Old Frenchmenistrer
- Middle Frenchministrer
- Middle Englishmynystren
- Englishminister
Inherited from Middle English mynystren, from Middle French ministrer, from Old French menistrer, ministrer and Latin ministrō, from minister.
More words from Middle English, Middle French, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans predikant, dominee
- predikantperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- domineeperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
- dienaarsomeone who serves others
Ancient Greek ὑπουργός
- ὑπουργός (hupourgós)politician who heads a ministry
Arabic قِسِّيس, دَاعِيَة
- قِسِّيس (qissīs)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- دَاعِيَة (dāʕiya)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- كَاهِن (kāhin)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- وَزِير (wazīr)politician who heads a ministry
- وَزِيرَة (wazīra)politician who heads a ministry
- وزير (wazīr)politician who heads a ministry
Basque ministro
- ministropolitician who heads a ministry
Bengali মন্ত্রী, উজির
- মন্ত্রী (montri)politician who heads a ministry
- উজির (ujir)politician who heads a ministry
Bulgarian свеще́ник, мини́стър
- свеще́ник (svešténik)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- мини́стър (minístăr)politician who heads a ministry
- мини́стърка (minístărka)politician who heads a ministry
- служа (služa)to attend to; to tend
Catalan ministre de l'església, ministre
- ministre de l'esglésiaperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministrepolitician who heads a ministry
Chinese 牧師 /牧师, 大臣
- 牧師 /牧师 (bo̍k-su)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- 大臣 (tāi-sîn)politician who heads a ministry
Chinese Cantonese 牧師 /牧师, 大臣
- 牧師 /牧师 (muk⁶ si¹)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- 大臣 (daai⁶ san⁴)politician who heads a ministry
- 部長 /部长 (bou⁶ zoeng²)politician who heads a ministry
Chinese Mandarin 牧師 /牧师, 大臣
- 牧師 /牧师 (mùshī)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- 大臣 (dàchén)politician who heads a ministry
- 部長 /部长 (bùzhǎng)politician who heads a ministry
Czech kněz, duchovní
- knězperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- duchovníperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministrpolitician who heads a ministry
- ministryněpolitician who heads a ministry
Danish præst, pastor
- præstperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- pastorperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
Dari کَاهِن, کَشِیش
- کَاهِن (kāhin)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- کَشِیش (kašīš)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- وَزِیر (wazīr)politician who heads a ministry
Dutch dominee, minister
- domineeperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
- dienaarsomeone who serves others
Esperanto pastoro, pastro
- pastoroperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- pastroperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministropolitician who heads a ministry
Estonian preester, minister
- preesterperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
Finnish pappi, ministeri
- pappiperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministeripolitician who heads a ministry
- palvelijasomeone who serves others
French pasteur, prêtre
- pasteurperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- prêtreperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministrepolitician who heads a ministry
German Pfarrer, Priester
- Pfarrerperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- Priesterperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- Dienstamtsträgerperson who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church
- Dienstamtsträgerinperson who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church
- Ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
- Ministerinpolitician who heads a ministry
- sich kümmernto attend to; to tend
- sorgento attend to; to tend
Greek πάστορας, υπουργός
- πάστορας (pástoras)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- υπουργός (ypourgós)politician who heads a ministry
Hebrew כֹּמֶר, כומר
- כֹּמֶרperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- כומר (kómer)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- כּוֹהֵןperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- כֹּהֵן (kohén)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- שַׂר (sar)politician who heads a ministry
- שָׂרָה (sará)politician who heads a ministry
Hindi पादरी, काहिन
- पादरी (pādrī)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- काहिन (kāhin)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- याजक (yājak)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- वज़ीर (vazīr)politician who heads a ministry
- मंत्री (mantrī)politician who heads a ministry
Hungarian lelkész, lelkipásztor
- lelkészperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- lelkipásztorperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- miniszterpolitician who heads a ministry
Icelandic prestur, ráðherra
- presturperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ráðherrapolitician who heads a ministry
Indonesian menteri
- menteripolitician who heads a ministry
Iranian Persian کاهِن, کَشیش
- کاهِن (kâhen)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- کَشیش (kašiš)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- وَزیر (vazir)politician who heads a ministry
Italian prete
- preteperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
Japanese 牧師, 大臣
- 牧師 (bokushi)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- 大臣 (daijin)politician who heads a ministry
- 長官 (chōkan)politician who heads a ministry
Korean 목사, 대신
- 목사 (moksa)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- 대신 (daesin)politician who heads a ministry
- 장관 (janggwan)politician who heads a ministry
- 상 (sang)politician who heads a ministry
Latvian priesteris, mācītājs
- priesterisperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- mācītājsperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministrspolitician who heads a ministry
- ministrepolitician who heads a ministry
Lithuanian kunigas, ministras
- kunigasperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministraspolitician who heads a ministry
- ministrėpolitician who heads a ministry
Malay menteri
- menteripolitician who heads a ministry
Māori minita, minita
- minitaperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- minitapolitician who heads a ministry
Norwegian Bokmål prest, minister
- prestperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
Polish ksiądz, pastor
- ksiądzperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- pastorperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- duchownyperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
- służebniksomeone who serves others
- sługasomeone who serves others
Portuguese pastor, ministro
- pastorperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministropolitician who heads a ministry
Romanian pastor, preot
- pastorperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- preotperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministrupolitician who heads a ministry
- ministrăpolitician who heads a ministry
Russian свяще́нник, мини́стр
- свяще́нник (svjaščénnik)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- мини́стр (minístr)politician who heads a ministry
- исполни́тель (ispolnítelʹ)someone who serves others
- служи́ть (služítʹ)to attend to; to tend
- помога́ть (pomogátʹ)to attend to; to tend
Scottish Gaelic ministear, ministear
- ministearperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministearpolitician who heads a ministry
Slovak kňaz, duchovný
- kňazperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- duchovnýperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
- ministryňapolitician who heads a ministry
Spanish ministro, ministro
- ministroperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministropolitician who heads a ministry
- ministrarto attend to; to tend
Swahili waziri
- waziripolitician who heads a ministry
Swedish präst, minister
- prästperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministerpolitician who heads a ministry
- vårdato attend to; to tend
- ta hand omto attend to; to tend
Tagalog kataluna, ministro
- katalunaperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- ministroperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
Tamil அமைச்சர், மந்திரி
- அமைச்சர் (amaiccar)politician who heads a ministry
- மந்திரி (mantiri)politician who heads a ministry
Thai บาทหลวง, รัฐมนตรี
- บาทหลวง (bàat-lǔuang)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- รัฐมนตรี (rát-tà-mon-dtrii)politician who heads a ministry
Turkish bakan, vezir
- bakanpolitician who heads a ministry
- vezirpolitician who heads a ministry
Ukrainian свяще́ник, міні́стр
- свяще́ник (svjaščényk)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- міні́стр (minístr)politician who heads a ministry
- міні́стрка (minístrka)politician who heads a ministry
Urdu خادِمِ دِین, پادْری
- خادِمِ دِین (xādim-i dīn)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- پادْری (pādrī)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- کاہِن (kāhin)person who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- وَزِیر (vazīr)politician who heads a ministry
Vietnamese mục sư, linh mục
- mục sưperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- linh mụcperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- thừa tác viênperson who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church
- bộ trưởngpolitician who heads a ministry
- tổng trưởngpolitician who heads a ministry
- đại thầnpolitician who heads a ministry
Welsh gweinidog, gweinidog
- gweinidogperson who is trained to perform religious ceremonies at a Protestant church
- gweinidogpolitician who heads a ministry
Yiddish מיניסטער
- מיניסטער (minister)politician who heads a ministry
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
minister. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/minister
MLA
“minister.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/minister. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “minister,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/minister.
Source: minister on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.