minion

American  

[min-yuhn] / ˈmɪn yən /

noun

1. a servile follower or subordinate of a person in power.

2. a favored or highly regarded person.

3. a minor official.

4. Printing. a 7-point type.

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adjective

1. dainty; elegant; trim; pretty.

minion British  

/ ˈmɪnjən /

noun

1. a favourite or dependant, esp a servile or fawning one

2. a servile agent

   the minister's minions

3. a size of printer's type, approximately equal to 7 point

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adjective

1. dainty, pretty, or elegant

Etymology

Origin of minion

1490–1500; < Middle French mignon, for Old French mignot dainty < ?

Explanation

Your minions, if you are lucky enough to have any, are those people who are devoted to you and entirely dependent on you. If you borrow money from a bully and don't pay it back, he might send one of his minions after you. A minion is nothing more than a yes-man, a nameless faceless servant. It is a negative term implying that your only importance is from the person who orders you around. Corporate presidents may have minions to do their dirty work such as firing employees who have made a mistake. If a celebrity comes to town, minions will come ahead of time to make sure that everything is to the celebrity's liking.

Example Sentences

As was the lesson of “Saltburn,” never antagonize a minion.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Nonetheless, "minion" was attached to the decorator's number in Dzhambazov's phone.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2025

She added, referring to the Schlapps, “It was like you were promoting a king and a queen. … I did did not feel valued because I was just a minion to do their bidding.”

From Washington Post • Feb. 28, 2023

No time was wasted in deactivating her account, although whether that was done by Goldberg's hand or a Twitter minion is unclear.

From Salon • Nov. 10, 2022

Sheed screamed, pinching his wrist where Mr. Flux’s minion had pricked him with her terrifying needle.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles