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ministry

American  
[min-uh-stree] / ˈmɪn ə stri /

noun

plural

ministries

  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.

ministry British  
/ ˈmɪnɪstrɪ /

noun

    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

    1. a government department headed by a minister

    2. the buildings of such a department

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • preministry noun
  • pseudoministry noun
  • underministry noun

Etymology

Origin of ministry

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The defence ministry in Moscow said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had been "hit" at Hrabovske and several other villages in Sumy region.

From BBC

Interior ministry forces searched some pedestrians or stopped people on motorbikes in the Old City.

From Barron's

"It is important to turn the nuisance wildlife into something positive," the farm ministry said earlier this month.

From Barron's

South Korea's foreign ministry has urged Ukraine not to "forcibly repatriate North Korean prisoners of war against their will" and has asked that their desire to go to the South be respected.

From Barron's

The ministry said the foreign-exchange market would soon see the South Korean government’s strong commitment to stabilizing the won, the news agency said, citing a press notice.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.