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 prepared 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 pain

—Austin Phelps

5

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

Many reforms were enacted during his ministry.

6

often capitalized

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

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

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

Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed 40 people around the eastern city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley on Wednesday, according to the country’s health ministry, and at dusk more strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs. —Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Newsweek has emailed the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministries for comment. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Here's how the news is developing. 10:28 AM PST Death toll in Lebanon crosses 3,000: Health ministry More than 3,000 have been killed since the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began over a year ago, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. —David Brennan, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024

According to the health ministry, all of these healthcare facilities were damaged in the first month of Israel’s offensive since late September. —Allegra Goodwin and Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024

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