# minion

/ˈmɪnjən/ (US) · /mˈɪnɪən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/minion
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a loyal servant

noun · CEFR B2

a person who works for a powerful leader and does whatever they are told, often doing boring or unimportant tasks.

For teachers: a subordinate official or servant, often one who follows orders without question.

- The villain sent his minions to capture the hero before he could escape.
- The CEO rarely visited the factory floor, preferring to send his minions to deliver unpopular news to the workers.

### 2. a sycophant

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

someone who follows a powerful person and praises them just to get an advantage.

For teachers: a servile or sycophantic follower of a person in power.

- He is always surrounded by minions who agree with everything he says.
- The politician's entourage was composed largely of minions hoping to secure appointments in the new administration.

### 3. printing size

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

a very small size of printed letters, usually called 7-point type.

For teachers: a size of type between nonpareil and brevier, standardized in the American system as 7-point.

- The old book was printed in minion, making it very difficult to read without a glass.
- The compositor noted that the footnotes were set in minion to save space on the crowded page.

### 4. a favorite

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a person who is loved or liked very much by someone powerful.

For teachers: a person who is particularly esteemed or favored by a sovereign or other high-ranking individual.

- In the old story, the king's minion was given a beautiful palace to live in.
- The Duke was known as the Queen's minion, a position that earned him both great wealth and the envy of the court.

## Examples

- The villain sent his minions to capture the hero.
- The CEO arrived at the conference followed by a group of minions carrying his bags and laptops.
- In classic literature, the antagonist is often portrayed with a loyal minion who executes the more tedious aspects of the grand plan without question.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.