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 of ministerial

• pastoral

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

As the adrenaline levels rose on Monday and Tuesday, and the familiar choreography of another British political crisis began to play out—ministerial resignations, spiky statements on X—the collateral damage that Starmer had warned against started to encroach, once again, upon the scene. —Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026

On Monday, six lower-ranking ministerial aides quit, and several senior members of Starmer's governing cabinet urged him to set out a plan for his resignation and to hold a party leadership contest, according to The Guardian newspaper. —Frank Andrews, CBS News, 12 May 2026

The first ministerial resignation came on Tuesday with the departure of Miatta Fahnbulleh, a junior minister in the housing and communities department. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 12 May 2026

People with de-Baathification rulings against them are not eligible for nomination to ministerial posts, senior government positions and high-level security roles. —ABC News, 4 May 2026

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

• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal
• imperial
• material
• sidereal
• venereal
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• cereal

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