ministry

noun

min·​is·​try ˈmi-nə-strē 

plural ministries

1

: ministration

The ingenuity of destruction … had outrun the ministry of healing.

—Dixon Wecter

2

: the office, duties, or functions of a minister

was well-suited for the ministry

3

: the body of ministers of religion : clergy

joined the Presbyterian ministry

4

: a person or thing through which something is accomplished : agency, instrumentality

Heroic believers become such by the ministry of heroic pains.

—Austin Phelps

5

: the period of service or office of a minister or ministry

Many reforms were enacted during his ministry.

6

often Ministry

a

: the body of ministers governing a nation or state from which a smaller cabinet (see cabinet entry 1 sense 3b) is sometimes selected

b

: the group of ministers constituting a cabinet

7

a

: a government department presided over by a minister

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

b

: the building in which the business of a ministry is transacted

Synonyms of ministry

• instrumentality
• means
• instrument
• vehicle
• agent
• agency
• organ
• machinery

Examples of ministry in a Sentence

a member of the ministry

She learned a lot during her first year of ministry.

Recent Examples on the Web

Security units established a cordon around the mosque while the authorities began investigating and collecting evidence into the incident, the interior ministry said. —Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Haya to discuss the ceasefire's second phase, according to ministry officials. —Julia Frankel The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 25 Dec. 2025

Jesus spent his earthly ministry performing miracles that saved lives and even brought people back from the dead. —Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025

Since assuming office, in 2023, Milei has eliminated half of Argentina’s ministries. —Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ministerie, minstri "personal service, religious office, position in a church," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French ministere "service, duty," going back to Old French, borrowed from Latin ministerium "activity of a servant, duty, task, support" (Late Latin, "ecclesiastical service") from minister "servant, minister entry 1" + -ium, denominal suffix of occupations

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ministry

• the ministry

Kids Definition

ministry

noun

min·​is·​try ˈmin-ə-strē 

plural ministries

1

: the action of ministering

2

: the office, duties, or work of a minister

3

a

: the body of ministers governing a nation or state

b

: a government department headed by a minister

c

: the building in which a ministry is housed