menial

1 of 2

adjective

me·​nial ˈmē-nē-əl 

-nyəl

1

: of or relating to servants : lowly

a menial worker

2

a

: appropriate to a servant : humble, servile

answered in menial tones

menial household chores

b

: lacking interest or dignity

a menial task

menially adverb

menial

2 of 2

noun

: a person doing menial work

specifically : a domestic (see domestic entry 1 sense 4) servant or retainer (see retainer entry 1 sense 1a)

Synonyms

Adjective

• abject
• base
• humble
• servile
• slavish

Noun

• daily [British]
• domestic
• flunky
• flunkey
• flunkie
• lackey
• retainer
• servant
• steward

Examples of menial in a Sentence

Adjective

every command was obeyed in the menial manner of someone who seemed grateful just to be in the presence of a celebrity

Noun

immigrants to that country faced fierce prejudice and could expect to find work only as menials

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This isn't exactly the Cultural Revolution, where Mao Zedong—distrustful of intellectuals and scientists—forced the country's best minds into menial labor. —Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025

But historians note much of that began to change after the 1912 presidential election, when Woodrow Wilson imposed strict segregation rules in federal workplaces that relegated Black workers to more menial jobs. —Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025

Noun

Employees are no longer burdened by menial and time-consuming tasks that ultimately don’t help improve the company’s risk profile. —Karthik Sj, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

Artificial intelligence has been heralded for its ability to optimize tasks, from the menial to the more complex. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English meynial, from Anglo-French meignal, from mesnee, mayné household, retinue, from Vulgar Latin *mansionata, from Latin mansion-, mansio dwelling — more at mansion

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for menial

• perineal
• venial

Kids Definition

menial

1 of 2 adjective

me·​nial ˈmē-nē-əl 

-nyəl

1

: of, relating to, or suitable for servants

2

: lacking interest or dignity

a menial task

menially

-ē

adverb

menial

2 of 2 noun

: domestic entry 2