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

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

Edgerton recalls a moment cut from the film, in which the boss orders all the other workers to settle back into their menial tasks.

From Los Angeles Times

The disability, verified by AFP, meant he was repeatedly sold on to other compounds and given menial tasks.

From Barron's