1
: a servile dependent, follower, or underling
He's one of the boss's minions.
2
: one highly favored : idol
his great charity to the poor renders him the minion of the people—
Jonas Hanway
Jonas Hanway3
: a subordinate (see subordinate entry 1 sense 1) or petty official
government minions
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The Origins of Minion
Minion comes from Middle French and is related to filet mignon. The two terms are connected by mignon, meaning "darling." The earliest uses of minion refer to someone who is a particular favorite of a sovereign or other important personage. Over time, however, the word developed a more derogatory sense referring to a person who is servile and unimportant.
Examples of minion in a Sentence
one of the boss's minions
most of the top appointments went to the new governor's personal minions and political cronies
Recent Examples on the Web
Not even the dynamic duos of Joy and Anxiety, Deadpool and Wolverine, Gru and his minions or Paul Atreides and those massive sandworms could push the 2024 box office to pre-pandemic heights.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
The Inflation Reduction Act set the United States on a new green industrial trajectory that even Trump and his minions will have trouble reversing.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
That should give Trump and his minions enough time to solve all the problems of his voters who are struggling.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2024
Not so, for minions who might break the law doing Trump's dirty work.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for minion 
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Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
The Inflation Reduction Act set the United States on a new green industrial trajectory that even Trump and his minions will have trouble reversing.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
That should give Trump and his minions enough time to solve all the problems of his voters who are struggling.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2024
Not so, for minions who might break the law doing Trump's dirty work.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for minion
Dictionary Entries Near minion
Cite this Entry
“Minion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minion. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
minion
noun
min·ion
ˈmin-yən 
1
: a person who obediently serves or works for a usually powerful person or organization
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