ministry
[min-uh-stree]
- the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion.
- the body or class of ministers of religion; clergy.
- the service, function, or office of a minister of state.
- the body of ministers of state.
- (usually initial capital letter) any of the administrative governmental departments of certain countries usually under the direction of a minister of state.
- (usually initial capital letter) the building that houses such an administrative department.
- the term of office of a minister of state.
- an act or instance of ministering; ministration; service.
- something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means.
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Origin of ministry
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
department, bureau, exhortation, preaching, prayer, clergy, priesthood, prelacy, clergymen, vicarage, clericalsExamples from the Web for ministry
Contemporary Examples
It would take a few years for the ministry to change its tune on Borat.
Indeed, the Ministry of Interior released a report of 141 investigations against candidates accused of vote-buying around Ukraine.
On one of his social network pages Yarosh demanded Poroshenko make major changes in the ministry of interior.
The Ministry of Finance nonetheless apparently authorized him to attend the conference in Nigeria.
Ministry of Health protocols called for Sawyer to be to be monitored daily for 21 days.
Historical Examples
That same doing, is what we are congratulating the present Ministry upon.
The ministry escaped censure when the vote was taken by a bare majority.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
During this session other difficulties were encountered by the Ministry.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
Mr. Disraeli's motion was lost, and the ministry was sustained.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
The end of Mr. Gladstone's first ministry was now drawing near.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
ministry
- the profession or duties of a minister of religion
- the performance of these duties
- ministers of religion or government ministers considered collectively
- the tenure of a minister
- a government department headed by a minister
- the buildings of such a department
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin ministerium service, from minister servant; see minister
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for ministry
n.
late 14c., "function of a priest," from Old French menistere "service, ministry; position, post, employment," and directly from Latin ministerium "office, service, attendance, ministry," from minister (see minister (n.)). Began to be used 1916 as name of certain departments in British government.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper