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
Some eager minion jumped the gun and published in the morning what was supposed to be the post-ceremony press release announcing the winners.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Miami should have purged the roster even more, shipping off starters for draft picks, but apparently none of the bids enticed Ross and his minions, who are the individuals really calling the shots now.
—Omar Kelly
november 4, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025
But this is the sort of behavior that’s considered normal on Goblin Mountain, where Mary and her minions perform dark rituals involving fish semen and needles.
—Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Others wore inflatable costumes, dressed as bumble bees, frogs, unicorns and a even minion.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for minion
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Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Miami should have purged the roster even more, shipping off starters for draft picks, but apparently none of the bids enticed Ross and his minions, who are the individuals really calling the shots now.
—Omar Kelly
november 4, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025
But this is the sort of behavior that’s considered normal on Goblin Mountain, where Mary and her minions perform dark rituals involving fish semen and needles.
—Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Others wore inflatable costumes, dressed as bumble bees, frogs, unicorns and a even minion.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for minion
Cite this Entry
“Minion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minion. Accessed 10 Nov. 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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