Word
ministerial
Phoneticsmin·is·te·ri·al, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌmɪnɪˈstiɹiəɫ/
UK/mˌɪnɪstˈiəɹɪəl/
Definitions
01government administration
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
adj. relating to a government minister or their department.
adj. pertaining to a government minister or the administrative department they oversee.
“The prime minister made several ministerial changes to the cabinet this morning.”
“The ministerial task force was established to address the housing crisis, drawing experts from across several government departments.”
Usage
Commonly used in collocations like 'ministerial post', 'ministerial responsibility', or 'ministerial decree'.
Synonyms
02religious service
C1 · Advanced Religion Formal
adj. relating to a priest or a minister in a church.
adj. relating to the office or functions of a religious minister or the clergy.
“He felt a ministerial calling and decided to join the church.”
“The bishop's ministerial duties included visiting remote parishes and overseeing the ordination of new deacons.”
Usage
Often describes the specific work or 'calling' of a member of the clergy.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03procedural or delegated
C2 · Proficiency Law Technical · Formal
adj. describing a task that must be done exactly as ordered, without using personal judgment.
adj. describing an act or duty performed according to legal instructions without the exercise of personal judgment or discretion.
“The clerk's job was purely ministerial, as he simply had to sign the papers.”
“The court ruled that the official's failure to file the document was a breach of a ministerial duty rather than a discretionary one.”
Teaching tip
In legal contexts, 'ministerial' is the opposite of 'discretionary'; it means the person has no choice but to follow the rule.
Synonyms
Antonyms
04high-level meeting
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal
n. a formal meeting between government ministers from different countries.
n. a formal conference or meeting attended by government ministers, typically to discuss international policy.
“The trade ministerial ended without a final agreement on taxes.”
“The upcoming WTO ministerial is expected to focus on agricultural subsidies and digital trade regulations.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“They do not appear in ministerial diaries because meetings on “political matters” with ministers do not have to be disclosed.” “France and Saudi Arabia have formed a taskforce on energy and logistics connections between the Middle East and Europe that is scheduled to meet at the ministerial level on Monday.” Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French ministeriel, equivalent to minister + -ial. Doublet of minstrel and ministerialis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/ministerial