ministerial

adjective

min·​is·​te·​ri·​al ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a minister or the ministry

2

a

: being or having the characteristics of an act or duty prescribed by law as part of the duties of an administrative office

b

: relating to or being an act done after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts in obedience to a legal order without exercise of personal judgment or discretion

3

: acting or active as an agent

ministerially

ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• clerical
• clerkly
• pastoral
• priestly
• sacerdotal

Examples of ministerial in a Sentence

She holds a ministerial office.

They function in a ministerial capacity in the embassy.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Glazers were driven in the ministerial car while Gill walked down Whitehall and queued up at St Stephen’s entrance. —Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 11 May 2025

Requiring ministerial approval means removing appeals, boards, and other bureaucratic argle bargle that just adds costs and friction to the development process. —Roger Valdez, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025

The British Foreign Office confirmed that ministerial Ukraine peace talks with U.S. and European counterparts were postponed and downgraded to behind-the-scenes meetings with officials. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025

Aimee had three ministerial assistants and a board of seven elders, along with 21 deacons — 14 of them women. —Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin ministeriālis "serving in an office (manorial or ecclesiastical)," going back to Late Latin, "serving, performing a duty," from Latin ministerium "activity of a servant, ministry" + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ministerial

• immaterial
• magisterial
• managerial
• nonmaterial
• presbyterial
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal

Kids Definition

ministerial

adjective

min·​is·​te·​ri·​al ˌmin-ə-ˈstir-ē-əl 

: of or relating to a minister or ministry

Legal Definition

ministerial

adjective

min·​is·​te·​ri·​al ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl 

1

: being or having the characteristics of an act or duty prescribed by law as part of the duties of an administrative office

2

: relating to or being an act done after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts in obedience to legal and especially statutory mandate without exercise of personal judgment or discretion see also mandamus compare discretionary

3

: relating to a minister or ministry