menial

[mee-nee-uhl, meen-yuhl]

adjective

1. lowly and sometimes degrading.

   menial work.

   Antonyms: dignified

2. servile; submissive.

   menial attitudes.

   Synonyms: fawning
   Antonyms: proud

3. pertaining to or suitable for domestic servants; humble.

   menial furnishings.

noun

1. a domestic servant.

   Synonyms: lackey, hireling, underling, attendant

2. a servile person.

menial

/ ˈmiːnɪəl /

adjective

1. consisting of or occupied with work requiring little skill, esp domestic duties such as cleaning

2. of, involving, or befitting servants

3. servile

noun

1. a domestic servant

2. a servile person

Other Word Forms

• menially adverb
• nonmenial adjective
• nonmenially adverb
• unmenial adjective
• unmenially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of menial¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English meynyal, from Anglo-French me(i)nial; meiny, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of menial¹

C14: from Anglo-Norman meignial, from Old French meinie household. See _meiny

Synonym Study

See servile.

Example Sentences

Executives say the technology allows them to grow the number of customer-facing roles while reducing more menial operating roles.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

They use their college degrees to help their husbands dispense with menial tasks so he can focus on the more exciting — and visible — parts of his job.

Read more on Salon

The lawsuit says he was required to perform “menial tasks,” including fetching cigars for the rapper.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He found the most easy, menial tasks so challenging, like making a meal or walking the dog.

Read more on BBC

Nellie’s husband abandoned the family when Stephen was a child, leaving her to bring up him and his brothers on paltry wages from menial jobs.

Read more on Salon