minion

noun

min·​ion ˈmin-yən 

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

3

: 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.

Synonyms of minion

• favorite
• darling
• pet

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

Just as Wolverine is surrounded, he’s saved by Mystique, who’s shape-shifted herself into one of Trask’s minions. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026

One of Danhausen’s minions took out Mysterio with a flipping dive on the outside. — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Daniel isn’t this devil’s only minion; Armand’s got an Illumination movie’s worth of cronies doing his bidding. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 2026

In my view, we are no longer respected by our foreign allies, the poor are getting poorer, and his wealthy minions are getting richer at our expense. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French mignon darling

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for minion

• inion
• minyan
• pinion
• pinyon
• dominion
• opinion

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Kids Definition

minion

noun

min·​ion ˈmin-yən 

1

: a person who obediently serves or works for a usually powerful person or organization

2

: favorite entry 1 sense 1