—used to describe boring or unpleasant work that does not require special skill and usually does not pay much money
a menial job
She thought household chores were menial and unimportant.
performing menial labor/tasks
plural menials
old-fashioned
: a person (such as a servant) who does boring or unpleasant work for little money : someone who does menial work
low-paid menials
Cite this Entry
“Menial.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/menial. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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