menial

1 of 2

adjective

me·​nial ˈmē-nē-əl 

-nyəl

1

: of or relating to servants : lowly

a menial worker

2

a

: appropriate to a servant : humble, servile

answered in menial tones

menial household chores

b

: lacking interest or dignity

a menial task

menially adverb

menial

2 of 2

noun

: a person doing menial work

specifically : a domestic (see domestic entry 1 sense 4) servant or retainer (see retainer entry 1 sense 1a)

Synonyms

Adjective

• abject
• base
• humble
• servile
• slavish

Noun

• daily [British]
• domestic
• flunky
• flunkey
• flunkie
• lackey
• retainer
• servant
• steward

Examples of menial in a Sentence

Adjective

every command was obeyed in the menial manner of someone who seemed grateful just to be in the presence of a celebrity

Noun

immigrants to that country faced fierce prejudice and could expect to find work only as menials

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

However, many rely on it mostly for menial tasks, such as playing music, asking questions or checking the weather. —Haleluya Hadero and Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025

Born into a wealthy family in 1896 in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture, Yamaguchi joined a society that renounced materialism at a young age, and its teachings included walking door-to-door offering menial labor in exchange for food. —Nathan Pugh, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Dec. 2024

Noun

Employees are no longer burdened by menial and time-consuming tasks that ultimately don’t help improve the company’s risk profile. —Karthik Sj, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

Artificial intelligence has been heralded for its ability to optimize tasks, from the menial to the more complex. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English meynial, from Anglo-French meignal, from mesnee, mayné household, retinue, from Vulgar Latin *mansionata, from Latin mansion-, mansio dwelling — more at mansion

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for menial

• perineal
• venial

Kids Definition

menial

1 of 2 adjective

me·​nial ˈmē-nē-əl 

-nyəl

1

: of, relating to, or suitable for servants

2

: lacking interest or dignity

a menial task

menially

-ē

adverb

menial

2 of 2 noun

: domestic entry 2