ministry

American  

[min-uh-stree] / ˈmɪn ə stri /

noun

• ministries
  plural

1. the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion.

2. the body or class of ministers of religion; clergy.

3. the service, function, or office of a minister of state.

4. the body of ministers of state.

5. (usually initial capital letter) any of the administrative governmental departments of certain countries usually under the direction of a minister of state.

6. (usually initial capital letter) the building that houses such an administrative department.

7. the term of office of a minister of state.

8. an act or instance of ministering; ministration; service.

9. something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means.

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ministry British  

/ ˈmɪnɪstrɪ /

noun

1. 1. the profession or duties of a minister of religion

   2. the performance of these duties

2. ministers of religion or government ministers considered collectively

3. the tenure of a minister

4. 1. a government department headed by a minister

   2. the buildings of such a department

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preministry
  noun
• pseudoministry
  noun
• underministry
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ministries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ministry

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin ministerium, from minister minister + -ium -ium

Explanation

If you are discussing the duties of your minister or rabbi, you are talking about his or her ministry — the work the religious leader does in serving a congregation. The noun ministry also refers to a group of clergy. Even if you do not lead a religious community, you can still have a ministry, as the word means to provide information or services about an organization or cause. The charity can have a ministry to serve homeless people. The noun ministry can also refer to a government department. In the United Kingdom, for example, the Ministry of Defense oversees the armed forces. A ministry can also be the building where this sort of government work occurs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ministry ministries

Ukraine's defence ministry confirmed the data centre attacks, saying they could "force Russia to divert resources to repair the damaged capacity".

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The education ministry announced the suspension of classes in schools nationwide.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

"The suggestion that the framework or its application is unfair or discriminatory is baseless and misconceived," the ministry said, without naming Musk directly.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The interior ministry also said police would stop using stun grenades on the students.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

With those examples and his own father in mind, Havens chose medicine over campus ministry.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

"Appropriate measures must be taken by the relevant ministries and agencies to protect schoolchildren and students, including senior citizens and patients with respiratory illnesses," King Sultan Ibrahim said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

White House spokesman Rogers told me “the Venezuelan ministries that have power to grant concessions were the ones that lawfully granted these concessions” to NABEP.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

The government has recently moved state ministries to Pétion-Ville, located just below Kenscoff, from Port-au-Prince’s violent downtown.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

To make visits cooler, the ministries of tourism and culture are allowing some attractions to stay open into the evening.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

PIH was flooded with requests for advice and information, from ministries of health and consultants and charities from every continent, about creating such a program in their backyards.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Related Words

• bureau
• department