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

• pastoral
• clerical

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

But a final decision to proceed and commit to the mission will not be made before the space agency's ministerial meeting in November. —ArsTechnica, 27 June 2025

Today, Dassault hopes to cash in its experience chips for VORTEX, which has received €30 million (US$35 million) from the French Ministry of Armed Forces, with hopes for more support from ESA later this year after the agency's ministerial meeting in November. —David Szondy june 27, New Atlas, 27 June 2025

Under the guidelines of McHugh’s removal, he is not allowed to publicly celebrate Mass or exercise any public ministerial duties. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 24 June 2025

Newsweek has contacted the White House and Canada's prime ministerial office via email for comment. —Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025

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

• immaterial
• magisterial
• managerial
• nonmaterial
• presbyterial
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• arterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal

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