ministry

noun

min·​is·​try ˈmi-nə-strē How to pronounce ministry (audio)
plural ministries
1
: ministration
the ingenuity of destruction … had outrun the ministry of healingDixon 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 painAustin 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

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 Proceeds from the thrift shop will support the church and its schools, and the donation of goods to local homeless and animal ministries. Andrea Manes, Orange County Register, 14 Mar. 2024 The only authorities on the streets these days are Gaza’s economy ministry monitors, dressed in black civilian clothes, who occasionally inspect markets in Rafah and Deir al-Balah to try to stamp out price gouging by pressuring vendors to sell their goods at normal prices. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 Russian military plane crashes In what appeared to be a separate incident on Tuesday, a Russian military plane crashed hundreds of kilometers northeast of Moscow after its engine caught fire, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported, citing the defense ministry. Christian Edwards, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Smith’s apology came about three months after the church’s discipleship content director resigned over Smith’s handling of a different case, involving a former music ministry volunteer and a high school student. Frank E. Lockwood, arkansasonline.com, 10 Mar. 2024 Influencers whose work is seen as benefiting the regime have been allowed to embed with government ministries and showcase their achievements. Rick Noack, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 The worst abuses, the mission found, were carried out in unofficial places of detention run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and the intelligence ministry. Nick Cumming-Bruce, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Key Facts The health ministry said a total of 30,035 people have been killed in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began. Robert Hart, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The health ministry in Gaza said on Thursday that 700,000 people in the north were suffering from starvation. Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ministry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ministry was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ministry

Cite this Entry

“Ministry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ministry. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ministry

noun
min·​is·​try ˈmin-ə-strē How to pronounce ministry (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on ministry

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