Dictionary

ministerial en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /-ˈstɪəɹ-/
• /ˌmɪnəˈstɪɹi.əl/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French ministeriel, equivalent to minister + -ial. Doublet of minstrel and ministerialis.

Meanings

1. Related to a religious minister or ministry.
2. Related to a governmental minister or ministry.
   • In over a quarter of a century of writing this column, there has been no end of scandals, mishaps, errors and general cock-ups resulting from ministerial incompetence. 2023 November 15, Christian Wolmar, “Ministers should carry the can for ticket office fiasco”, in RAIL, number 996, page 46:
3. Having the power to wield delegated executive authority.
4. (especially) Serving as an instrument or means (i.e., procedural or ancillary, not substantive).
   • Filling out the form under the direction of a lawyer is a ministerial task performed by a legal secretary.

Forms

Deriveds

ministerialness · ministerialitis · interministerial · antiministerial · ministerial box · subministerial · intraministerial · nonministerial · pseudoministerial · ministerialist · ministerially · ministerial code · unministerial

Relateds

prime ministerial · minister · ministerium · ministry

Synonyms

instrumental

Translations (24)

ru министе́рский (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · fr ministériel (having the power to wield delegated executive authority) · fr ministériel (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · gl ministerial (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · fi toimivaltainen (having the power to wield delegated executive authority) · bg свещенически (related to a religious minister or ministry) · pt ministerial (related to a religious minister or ministry) · nl ministerieel (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · fi papillinen (related to a religious minister or ministry) · pl ministerialny (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · ro ministerial (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · fi ministeri- (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · fi avustava (serving as an instrument or means) · uk міністе́рський (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · cy gweinidogol (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · sv administrativ (related to a religious minister or ministry) · pt ministerial (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · pt ministerial (having the power to wield delegated executive authority) · sv administrativ (having the power to wield delegated executive authority) · be міністэ́рскі (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · bg министерски (related to a governmental minister or ministry) · cy gweinidogol (related to a religious minister or ministry) · fi pappis- (related to a religious minister or ministry) · sv administrativ (related to a governmental minister or ministry)

ministerial en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /-ˈstɪəɹ-/
• /ˌmɪnəˈstɪɹi.əl/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French ministeriel, equivalent to minister + -ial. Doublet of minstrel and ministerialis.

Meanings

1. (historical) A member of the mediaeval estate or caste of unfree nobles.
   • By the time of the Nibelungenlied the word was used to denote a wide variety of usually ecclesiastic or royal administrators, from the lowest, unfree ministerial to an enfeoffed judge. 2002, Francis G. Gentry, The Nibelungen Tradition, page 142:
2. A meeting of government ministers from partner countries.
   • The NATO ministerial was attended by the defence ministers of all member states.

Forms

Translations (7)

nl dienstman (unfree noble) · fr ministériel (unfree noble) · fi ministeriaali (unfree noble) · de Dienstmann (unfree noble) · nl ministeriaal (unfree noble) · sv prästerlig (unfree noble) · de Ministerial (unfree noble)