ministry

mi·nis·try
M3I1N1I1S1T1R1Y4
/ˈmɪnɪstɹi/

noun

A government department at the administrative level, normally headed by a minister (or equivalent rank, e.g. secretary of state), who holds it as portfolio, especially in a constitutional monarchy, but also as a polity.

“He works for the ministry of defence.”

OriginMiddle English mynisterie ← Old French menistere ← Latin ministerium →
Very commonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounministry (countable and uncountable, plural ministries)

plural ministries

  1. countableuncountableA government department at the administrative level, normally headed by a minister (or equivalent rank, e.g. secretary of state), who holds it as portfolio, especially in a constitutional monarchy, but also as a polity.

    He works for the ministry of defence.

    3 more examples

    She works for the ministry of finance.

    I work for the ministry of education.

    They work for the ministry of agriculture.

  2. countableuncountableThe complete body of government ministers (whether or not they are in cabinet) under the leadership of a head of government (such as a prime minister)

    The premier offered his last ministry's resignation to the monarch, and is asked to form a new one in accordance with the election results.

  3. countableuncountableA ministration.
  4. countableuncountableThe active practice and education of the minister of a particular religion or faith.
  5. countableuncountableChristianityThe clergy of nonapostolic Protestant churches.
  6. countableuncountableChristianityWork of a spiritual or charitable nature.

    the present ministry of the Holy Spirit

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
departmentministryshipofficeportfolio

Origin

  1. Latinministerium
  2. Old Frenchmenistere
  3. Middle Englishmynisterie
  4. Englishministry

From Middle English mynisterie, borrowed from Old French menistere, in turn borrowed itself from Latin ministerium; equivalent to minister + -y.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic وِزَارَة
  • وِزَارَة (wizāra)government department
Basque ministerioa
  • ministerioagovernment department
Bengali মন্ত্রক, ওজারত
  • মন্ত্রক (montrok)government department
  • ওজারত (ōjarot)government department
  • মোল্লাগিরি (mōllagiri)practice and education of the minister of a particular religion
Bulgarian министе́рство, министе́рски съве́т
  • министе́рство (ministérstvo)government department
  • министе́рски съве́т (ministérski săvét)complete body of government ministers
Catalan ministeri
  • ministerigovernment department
Chinese Cantonese 部
  • 部 (bou⁶)government department
Chinese Mandarin 部
  • 部 (bù)government department
Czech ministerstvo
  • ministerstvogovernment department
Danish ministerium, regering
  • ministeriumgovernment department
  • regeringcomplete body of government ministers
  • kabinetcomplete body of government ministers
  • præsteembedepractice and education of the minister of a particular religion
Dutch ministerie, departement
  • ministeriegovernment department
  • departementgovernment department
  • ministeriecomplete body of government ministers
  • kabinetcomplete body of government ministers
  • regeringcomplete body of government ministers
  • gouvernementcomplete body of government ministers
  • bediening van de eredienstpractice and education of the minister of a particular religion
Esperanto ministerio, ministrejo
  • ministeriogovernment department
  • ministrejogovernment department
Estonian ministeerium
  • ministeeriumgovernment department
Finnish ministeriö
  • ministeriögovernment department
French ministère, cabinet
  • ministèregovernment department
  • cabinetcomplete body of government ministers
  • ministèrecomplete body of government ministers
German Ministerium
  • Ministeriumgovernment department
Greek υπουργείο, υπουργικό συμβούλιο
  • υπουργείο (ypourgeío)government department
  • υπουργικό συμβούλιο (ypourgikó symvoúlio)complete body of government ministers
  • κυβέρνηση (kyvérnisi)complete body of government ministers
  • ιερατείο (ierateío)practice and education of the minister of a particular religion
Hebrew מִשְׂרָד, מיניסטריון
  • מִשְׂרָד (misrád)government department
  • מיניסטריון (ministeryón)government department
Hindi मंत्रालय, संसद
  • मंत्रालय (mantrālay)government department
  • संसद (sansad)complete body of government ministers
Hungarian minisztérium
  • minisztériumgovernment department
Icelandic ráðuneyti, klerkdómur
  • ráðuneytigovernment department
  • klerkdómurgovernment department
Indonesian kementerian
  • kementeriangovernment department
Irish aireacht, ministreacht
  • aireachtgovernment department
  • ministreachtpractice and education of the minister of a particular religion
Italian ministero
  • ministerogovernment department
Japanese 省
  • 省 (shō)government department
Korean 부, 성
  • 부 (bu)government department
  • 성 (seong)government department
  • 부처 (bucheo)government department
Latin ministerium
  • ministeriumgovernment department
Latvian ministrija
  • ministrijagovernment department
Lithuanian ministerija
  • ministerijagovernment department
Malay kementerian
  • kementeriangovernment department
Māori tari, minitatanga
  • tarigovernment department
  • minitatangagovernment department
  • manatūgovernment department
Norwegian Bokmål ministerium, kabinett
  • ministeriumgovernment department
  • kabinettcomplete body of government ministers
Polish ministerstwo
  • ministerstwogovernment department
Portuguese ministério, gabinete
  • ministériogovernment department
  • gabinetecomplete body of government ministers
  • ministériocomplete body of government ministers
Romanian minister
  • ministergovernment department
Russian министе́рство, министе́рство
  • министе́рство (ministérstvo)government department
  • министе́рство (ministérstvo)complete body of government ministers
Slovak ministerstvo
  • ministerstvogovernment department
Spanish ministerio, cartera
  • ministeriogovernment department
  • carteragovernment department
Swahili wizara
  • wizaragovernment department
Swedish ministär, Ministär
  • ministärgovernment department
  • Ministärcomplete body of government ministers
Tamil அமைச்சகம்
  • அமைச்சகம் (amaiccakam)government department
Thai กระทรวง
  • กระทรวง (grà-suuang)government department
Turkish bakanlık
  • bakanlıkgovernment department
Ukrainian міністе́рство
  • міністе́рство (ministérstvo)government department
Urdu وِزارَت
  • وِزارَت (vizārat)government department
Vietnamese bộ
  • bộgovernment department
Welsh gweinidogaeth
  • gweinidogaethgovernment department
Yiddish מיניסטעריום
  • מיניסטעריום (ministeryum)government department

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

myristin
Cite this entry
APA

ministry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ministry

MLA

“ministry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ministry. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ministry,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ministry.

Source: ministry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.