MINISTERIAL


Meaning of MINISTERIAL in English

I. |minə|stirēəl, -tēr- adjective

Etymology: Late Latin ministerialis, literally, that functions as a servant, from Latin ministerium service (from minister servant) + -alis -al

1.

a. : of, being, or having the characteristics of a minister of religion

those serving in a ministerial capacity are trained in a Bible training school — F.S.Mead

a ministerial habit of mind — M.A.D.Howe

b. : of, relating to, or preparing to enter the clerical ministry

examine ministerial candidates — J.C.Brauer

a code of ministerial ethics — P.H.Furfey

2.

a. : of, being, or having the characteristics of an act or duty belonging to the administration of the executive function in government and specifically prescribed by law as part of the official duties of an office

b. : of, relating to, or being an act that a person after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts performs in obedience to a mandate of legal authority without the exercise of personal judgment upon the propriety of the act and usually without discretion in its performance — opposed to judicial

action by public officials can be compelled only if the act is a purely ministerial one — B.F.Tucker

the controversy turns … on whether the function is discretionary or ministerial — G.W.Folta

3. : acting or active as an agent, instrument, or means : instrumental

those uses of conversation which are ministerial to intellectual culture — Thomas De Quincey

4.

a. : of, relating to, or having the status of a governmental minister

representatives of the political parties … were given ministerial posts — W.S.Vucinich

jobs below the ministerial level — H.M.Somers

promotion … to the office of paymaster general, a ministerial appointment — Current Biography

b. often capitalized : of, relating to, or supporting the ministry as opposed to the opposition in a parliamentary system

the situation was … saved by a Ministerial crisis — Peace Handbooks

ministerial benches in the House of Commons

the principle of ministerial responsibility under a parliamentary system — Taylor Cole

II. noun

( -s )

Etymology: Late Latin ministerialis imperial household officer, from ministerialis, adjective

: an administrative household officer under the feudal system

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.