ministerial

[min-uh-steer-ee-uhl]

adjective

1. pertaining to the ministry of religion, or to a minister or other member of the clergy.

2. pertaining to a ministry or minister of state.

3. pertaining to or invested with delegated executive authority.

4. of ministry or service.

5. serving as an instrument or means; instrumental.

ministerial

/ ˌmɪnɪˈstɪərɪəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to a minister of religion or his office

2. of or relating to a government minister or ministry

   a ministerial act

3. (often capital) of or supporting the ministry or government against the opposition

4. law relating to or possessing delegated executive authority

5. law (of an office, duty, etc) requiring the following of instructions, without power to exercise any personal discretion in doing so

6. acting as an agent or cause; instrumental

Other Word Forms

• ministerially adverb
• antiministerial adjective
• antiministerially adverb
• interministerial adjective
• nonministerial adjective
• nonministerially adverb
• pseudoministerial adjective
• quasi-ministerial adjective
• semiministerial adjective
• unministerial adjective
• unministerially adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ministerial¹

1555–65; < Late Latin ministeriālis, equivalent to Latin ministeri ( um ) ministry + -ālis -al ¹

Example Sentences

Somehow it is now almost seven years since Nicola Sturgeon first referred herself for an investigation as to whether she broke the ministerial code.

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The ESA also approved a plan to bolster security and defence cooperation and laid out future plans for scientific space missions at a ministerial council meeting in the German city of Bremen.

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Claiming leaks were an "appalling" breach of the ministerial code, Sir Lindsay said in the past "if you were leaking a Budget, you would've been sacked," adding: "You would've been asked to resign."

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"That is good news," Aschbacher said on the sidelines of the ESA's ministerial council meeting being held this week in the German city of Bremen.

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It proposes an optional "workshop" to discuss "low carbon solutions," or a high-level ministerial roundtable on pathways to help countries "progressively overcome their dependency on fossil fuels."

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Related Words

• consular 
• diplomatic