menial

American  

[mee-nee-uhl, meen-yuhl] / ˈmi ni əl, ˈmin yəl /

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.

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noun

1. a domestic servant.

   Synonyms:

   lackey, hireling, underling, attendant

2. a servile person.

menial British  

/ 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

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noun

1. a domestic servant

2. a servile person

Related Words

See servile.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of menial

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

Example Sentences

In the mid-2000s, Graham Walker and his brother began running Fibrebond, after doing menial jobs and later taking on more senior roles at the company.

From The Wall Street Journal

Guguyev said that the FSB called returned soldiers “lost trust” and that prisoners sent back to the front lines were given menial tasks that didn’t involve firearms, as they were no longer trusted.

From The Wall Street Journal

Venezuelans, many working here in menial jobs despite their education, could return to their cities of birth and rebuild their lives.

From The Wall Street Journal

Luke has been waiting 65 years, doing menial work as a bartender in the Junction, hoping to be reunited with his love.

From Salon

They also did other dirty, dangerous, or menial jobs.

From Literature