• (America) IPA: /ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/, /ˈmɪn.ɪ-/
• (British) IPA: /ˈmɪn.ɪs.tə/

From Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister, from minor ("less") + -ter; see minor.

minister (plural ministers)

1. (Protestantism) A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.

   Hypernyms: cleric

   The minister said a prayer on behalf of the entire congregation.

2. (Roman Catholicism) A person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
3. (government) A politician who heads a ministry

   Synonyms: Thesaurus:government minister

   Hypernyms: provost

   He was newly appointed to be Minister of the Interior.

4. In diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
5. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument.
   • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii], page 287 ↗, column 2:

      […], I choſe / Camillo for the miniſter, to poyſon / My friend Polixenes: […]

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Exodus 24:13 ↗, column 1:

     And Moſes roſe vp, and his miniſter Ioſhua: and Moſes went vp into the mount of God.

• ministerial
• ministerium
• ministrix
• ministry

• French: pasteur, prêtre
• German: Pfarrer, Priester
• Italian: prete
• Portuguese: pastor
• Russian: свяще́нник
• Spanish: ministro

• French: ministre
• German: Minister, (female) Ministerin
• Portuguese: ministro
• Russian: мини́стр
• Spanish: ministro

• Russian: исполни́тель

minister (ministers, present participle ministering; simple past and past participle ministered)

1. (transitive) To attend to (the needs of); to tend; to take care (of); to give aid; to give service.
2. (intransitive) To function as a clergyman or as the officiant in church worship.
3. (transitive, archaic) To afford, to give, to supply.
   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene i], page 7 ↗, column 2:

     I do vvell beleeue your Highneſſe, and did it to miniſter occaſion to theſe Gentlemen, […]

     (to give opportunity to these gentlemen)

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, 2 Corinthians 9:10 ↗, column 2:

     ( […] Now he that miniſtreth ſeede to the ſower, both miniſter bread for your foode, and multiply your ſeede ſowen, and encreaſe the fruites of your righteouſneſſe)

   • 1651–1653, Jer[emy] Taylor, ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Royston […], published 1655, →OCLC ↗:

     We minister to God reason to suspect us.

• German: sich kümmern, sorgen
• Russian: служи́ть
• Spanish: ministrar