Word
minister
Phoneticsmin·is·ter, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɪnəstɝ/
UK/mˈɪnɪstɐ/
Definitions
01government official
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law
n. a high-ranking politician who is in charge of a specific government department.
n. a senior politician who heads a government ministry or department, responsible for policy and administration.
“The health minister announced a new plan to build more hospitals.”
“The finance minister faced intense questioning from the press regarding the proposed changes to the national tax code.”
Usage
In many parliamentary systems, the title is used for cabinet-level officials.
02religious leader
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Religion
n. a person trained to lead religious ceremonies and care for people in a church.
n. an ordained member of the clergy, particularly in Protestant denominations, authorised to perform offices and provide pastoral care.
日本語:牧師※
Español:ministro
“The minister gave a moving speech during the Sunday morning service.”
“After twenty years of service, the minister retired from the parish to focus on writing his theological memoirs.”
Usage
Commonly used in Protestant contexts; 'priest' is more common in Catholic or Orthodox contexts.
Antonyms
03diplomatic rank
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal
n. a high-level diplomat who works in a foreign country, just below an ambassador.
n. a diplomatic representative who ranks below an ambassador but possesses significant plenipotentiary powers.
日本語:公使※
“The minister at the embassy handled the trade negotiations while the ambassador was away.”
“The newly appointed minister plenipotentiary arrived in the capital to present his credentials to the foreign office.”
Teaching tip
This is a technical diplomatic rank; in everyday conversation, people usually just say 'diplomat'.
04to care for
C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary
v. to give help or care to someone who needs it.
v. to attend to the needs of others or provide essential aid and service.
Español:ministrar
“The volunteers stayed late to minister to the needs of the flood victims.”
“She spent her final years in the village, choosing to minister to the sick and elderly who had no other support.”
Usage
Usually used with the preposition 'to'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “minister” in context.
Verb
01. advise the minister
“A team of experts was hired to advise the minister on environmental policy.”
verb + noun
02. appoint a minister
“The Prime Minister decided to appoint a new minister to handle the housing crisis.”
verb + noun
03. minister to the sick
“The young priest spent his afternoons ministering to the sick in the local hospital.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
04. former minister
“The former minister gave a long interview about his time in the government.”
adj + noun
05. ordained minister
“She has been an ordained minister in the Methodist church for over twenty years.”
adj + noun
06. senior minister
“Several senior ministers attended the emergency cabinet meeting this morning.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. prime minister
“The Prime Minister addressed the nation regarding the new trade agreement.”
adj + noun
08. cabinet minister
“The cabinet minister resigned following the scandal involving public funds.”
noun + noun
Real-World Examples
“Croatia’s prime minister described the blaze that spread to Omiš as ‘one of the worst fires in recent years’.” “The Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to requests for comment on whether Netanyahu’s statement represented the official position of the Israeli government.” “The prime minister is looking at ways to keep them in jail .” “It will also give the NDIS minister, Mark Butler, the power to reduce funding categories for individuals by up to 99%.” Etymology
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.
Inherited from Middle English mynystren, from Middle French ministrer, from Old French menistrer, ministrer and Latin ministrō, from minister.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/minister
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0