What does "minister" mean?
A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
Minister
/ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
- Grammar: minister is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: pastor, abbe, accommodate, administer the eucharist.
- Useful contrasts: abandon, abstain, civil servant.
- Usage evidence: The press besieged the minister with questions.
How to use "minister"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "minister" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "minister" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "minister" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "minister" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "minister" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "pastor" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "minister", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A 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."
- 2 the job of a head of a government department wordnet
- 3 A person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
- 4 a person authorized to conduct religious worship wordnet
- 5 A politician who heads a ministry
"He was newly appointed to be Minister of the Interior."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a diplomat representing one government to another; ranks below ambassador wordnet
- 7 In diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
- 8 a person appointed to a high office in the government wordnet
- 9 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: […]"
Verb
- 1 To attend to (the needs of); to tend; to take care (of); to give aid; to give service. intransitive
- 2 work as a minister wordnet
- 3 To function as a clergyman or as the officiant in church worship. intransitive
- 4 attend to the wants and needs of others wordnet
- 5 To afford, to give, to supply. archaic, transitive
"I do vvell beleeue your Highneſſe, and did it to miniſter occaſion to theſe Gentlemen, […]"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The press besieged the minister with questions."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "minister"?
Common synonyms include: pastor, abbe, accommodate, administer the eucharist, agent, aid.
How do you use "minister" in a sentence?
The press besieged the minister with questions.
How do you pronounce "minister"?
Pronounced /ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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.
Etymology 2
Inherited from Middle English mynystren, from Middle French ministrer, from Old French menistrer, ministrer and Latin ministrō, from minister.