ministerial

adjective

min·​is·​te·​ri·​al ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl How to pronounce ministerial (audio)
Synonyms of ministerialnext
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a minister or the ministry
2
a
: being or having the characteristics of an act or duty prescribed by law as part of the duties of an administrative office
b
: relating to or being an act done after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts in obedience to a legal order without exercise of personal judgment or discretion
3
: acting or active as an agent
ministerially
ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-ə-lē How to pronounce ministerial (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of ministerial

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Examples of ministerial in a Sentence

She holds a ministerial office. They function in a ministerial capacity in the embassy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tankers carrying Russian diesel are sailing to the United States, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Atlanta starting Friday, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. — Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026 Kamalvandi made the remarks while discussing Iran's participation in an international ministerial conference on nuclear energy in South Korea. — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026 Not to mention the loss of face this suspension would cause his father, who also worked for the Kuomintang and who’d laid his ministerial connections on the line to make his son’s American education possible. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 The ministerial meeting primarily addressed mass-market, peer-to-peer resale platforms and open classified sites handling massive volumes of uncurated, low-cost goods, de Coutard says. — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ministerial

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin ministeriālis "serving in an office (manorial or ecclesiastical)," going back to Late Latin, "serving, performing a duty," from Latin ministerium "activity of a servant, ministry" + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ministerial was in 1561

Rhymes for ministerial

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Browse Nearby Words

minister's face
ministerial
ministerialist
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Cite this Entry

“Ministerial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ministerial. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ministerial

adjective
min·​is·​te·​ri·​al ˌmin-ə-ˈstir-ē-əl How to pronounce ministerial (audio)
: of or relating to a minister or ministry

Legal Definition

ministerial

adjective
min·​is·​te·​ri·​al ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl How to pronounce ministerial (audio)
1
: being or having the characteristics of an act or duty prescribed by law as part of the duties of an administrative office
2
: relating to or being an act done after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts in obedience to legal and especially statutory mandate without exercise of personal judgment or discretion see also mandamus compare discretionary
3
: relating to a minister or ministry
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