minister

IPA/ˈmɪnɪstə(r)/
KK[mˈɪnəstɚ]IPA/ˈmɪnɪstər/

minister — noun

  • ministersingular
  • ministersplural

1. a politician who leads a specific government department, such as education, heal

1.nounB1
Definition

a politician who leads a specific government department, such as education, health, or defence

Example

The education minister announced a new plan to build more libraries across the country.

minister + [department] as title

Henrik was appointed minister of trade after working as an economic advisor for eight years.

appointed minister of [department]

Common collocations
  • minister of education
  • minister for defence
  • foreign minister
  • prime minister
  • deputy minister
  • former minister
Synonyms
  • secretary

    used in the US and some other countries instead of 'minister' for department heads

  • cabinet member

    a broader term for any high-ranking official who sits in the cabinet, not just department heads

Grammar Patterns

minister + of + [department]

minister + for + [department]

Usage Note

In many countries, the head of a government department may also be called 'Secretary' or 'Secretary of State'. The term 'minister' is standard in parliamentary systems such as the UK, Canada, and Japan.

Common Mistakes

The minister of education visited our school.' (when referring to a country without that title)
The education secretary visited our school.
In some countries (e.g. the US), the head of education is called 'Secretary of Education', not 'Minister of Education'.

2. a person who leads worship services and provides spiritual care for members of a

2.nounB1
Definition

a person who leads worship services and provides spiritual care for members of a Christian church

Example

The minister welcomed everyone to the Sunday service at the small village church.

minister + Sunday service + church

Megan spoke with her minister about organising a food drive for families in need.

Common collocations
  • church minister
  • Protestant minister
  • minister of religion
  • ordained minister
Synonyms
  • priest

    used in Catholic and Orthodox traditions; performs similar duties but belongs to a different church hierarchy

  • pastor

    a minister who leads a specific local church, common in evangelical Protestant traditions

  • clergyman

    a more formal, gender-neutral term for any person ordained for religious duties

Usage Note

Used primarily in Protestant denominations; the equivalent role in the Catholic Church is 'priest'.

Common Mistakes

The Catholic minister gave a blessing.
The Catholic priest gave a blessing.
In Catholicism the title is 'priest'; 'minister' is used mainly in Protestant churches.

3. a senior diplomatic officer who acts on behalf of their government in another na

3.nounB2
Definition

a senior diplomatic officer who acts on behalf of their government in another nation, with a rank one step below an ambassador

Example

Aarav was appointed minister to the Indian embassy in Berlin after years of diplomatic service.

minister to [country/embassy]

The Chinese minister met local officials to discuss trade agreements between the two nations.

Common collocations
  • minister to Japan
  • diplomatic minister
  • accredited minister
  • envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
Synonyms
  • envoy

    a diplomatic agent sent on a specific mission, not necessarily a permanent representative

  • chargé d'affaires

    someone who acts as the head of a diplomatic mission when the ambassador is absent

Grammar Patterns

minister + to + [country]

Usage Note

Distinguish from 'ambassador', who holds the highest diplomatic rank. A minister often acts as the deputy to an ambassador or serves in smaller missions where no ambassador is posted.

Common Mistakes

The Japanese minister to France is the highest-ranking diplomat there.
The Japanese ambassador to France is the highest-ranking diplomat there.
If the diplomat is the head of the mission, the correct title is 'ambassador', not 'minister'.

minister — verb

Word family

  • ministry
    nounB1
  • ministerial
    adjectiveB2
  • ministration
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In government contexts, 'minister' is the standard title in parliamentary systems (UK, Canada, Japan, India) for a politician who runs a department such as education or health. 'Secretary' is used in the US and some other presidential systems for the same role (e.g. Secretary of State). 'Cabinet member' is a broader term covering any senior official who sits in the cabinet, which may include ministers and other senior advisors without their own department. 'Chancellor' is a less common title used in a few countries (Germany, Austria) for the head of government or, in the UK, for the finance minister (Chancellor of the Exchequer). Example: 'The UK foreign minister met with the US Secretary of State to discuss the trade deal.'

minister ↗secretary ↗cabinet memberchancellor ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • serve as minister
  • appointed minister
  • former minister
  • minister to

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'minister' comes from Latin 'minister', meaning 'servant' or 'attendant', formed from 'minus' (less) and a comparative suffix. The original idea was of someone who serves — a person of lower status serving a superior. In the 16th century, the religious sense arose, referring to a person who serves God by leading a church community. The political sense developed from the idea of a 'servant of the state' and became common in the 17th–18th centuries as parliamentary systems grew.