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