ministerial
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.relating to a government minister or their department.
adj.pertaining to a government minister or the administrative department they oversee.
Simple“The prime minister made several ministerial changes to the cabinet this morning.”
In context“The ministerial task force was established to address the housing crisis, drawing experts from across several government departments.”
UsageCommonly used in collocations like 'ministerial post', 'ministerial responsibility', or 'ministerial decree'.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
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.
Simple“He felt a ministerial calling and decided to join the church.”
In context“The bishop's ministerial duties included visiting remote parishes and overseeing the ordination of new deacons.”
UsageOften describes the specific work or 'calling' of a member of the clergy.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
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.
Simple“The clerk's job was purely ministerial, as he simply had to sign the papers.”
In context“The court ruled that the official's failure to file the document was a breach of a ministerial duty rather than a discretionary one.”
Teacher's tipIn legal contexts, 'ministerial' is the opposite of 'discretionary'; it means the person has no choice but to follow the rule.
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
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.
Simple“The trade ministerial ended without a final agreement on taxes.”
In context“The upcoming WTO ministerial is expected to focus on agricultural subsidies and digital trade regulations.”
Synonyms
“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.”
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.