ministerial

min·is·te·ri·al

adjective \ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl\

: of or relating to a government minister

Full Definition of MINISTERIAL

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

— min·is·te·ri·al·ly \-ē-ə-lē\ adverb

Examples of MINISTERIAL

1. She holds a ministerial office.
2. They function in a ministerial capacity in the embassy.

First Known Use of MINISTERIAL

1561

Related to MINISTERIAL

Synonyms

clerkly, clerical, pastoral, priestly, sacerdotal

Antonyms

lay, nonclerical, secular, temporal

Related Words

evangelical (also evangelic), missionary; apostolic, canonical, diaconal, diocesan, episcopal, papal, patriarchal, pontifical; churchly, ecclesiastic, ecclesiastical; divine, holy, religious, sacramental; conventual, mendicant, monachal, monastic; caliphal, rabbinic (or rabbinical)

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

Rhymes with MINISTERIAL

immaterial, magisterial, managerial, presbyterial, raw material