minister
noun
- politician who holds significant civil public office in a national or regional government, generally heading a ministry
- Christian religious occupation
verb
- treat physical or other wounds
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/ / /ˈmɪn.ɪ-/ / /ˈmɪn.ɪs.tə/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister (“an attendant, servant, assistant, a priest's assistant or other under official”), from minor (“less”) + -ter; see minor. Doublet of Minorite.
- A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
“The minister said a prayer on behalf of the entire congregation.”
- A person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
- A politician who heads a ministry
“He was newly appointed to be Minister of the Interior.”
“Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man.”
- In diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
- A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument.
“[…], I choſe / Camillo for the miniſter, to poyſon / My friend Polixenes: […]”
“And Moſes roſe vp, and his miniſter Ioſhua: and Moſes went vp into the mount of God.”
verb
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English mynystren, from Middle French ministrer, from Old French menistrer, ministrer and Latin ministrō, from minister.
- To attend to (the needs of); to tend; to take care (of); to give aid; to give service.
- To function as a clergyman or as the officiant in church worship.
- To afford, to give, to supply.
“I do vvell beleeue your Highneſſe, and did it to miniſter occaſion to theſe Gentlemen, […]”
“([…] Now he that miniſtreth ſeede to the ſower, both miniſter bread for your foode, and multiply your ſeede ſowen, and encreaſe the fruites of your righteouſneſſe)”