ministerial
adjective
min·is·te·ri·al ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl 
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a minister or the ministry
2
a
: being or having the characteristics of an act or duty prescribed by law as part of the duties of an administrative office
b
: relating to or being an act done after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts in obedience to a legal order without exercise of personal judgment or discretion
3
: acting or active as an agent
ministerially
ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-ə-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- clerical
- clerkly
- pastoral
- priestly
- sacerdotal
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She holds a ministerial office. They function in a ministerial capacity in the embassy.
Recent Examples on the Web Those ideas are due to be discussed during talks this week, including at Friday’s ministerial meeting. 
Joe Wallace, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 Objections to language on climate targets and the war in Ukraine prevented a joint communiqué from being issued at the G20 ministerial meeting in Bali on Wednesday, diplomatic sources said. Reuters, CNN, 1 Sep. 2022 The effort began ahead of the WTO’s ministerial meeting in Geneva in June, the officials said, with the U.S. organizing two meetings of working-level representatives from dozens of member countries since this spring. Yuka Hayashi, WSJ, 11 July 2022 Selemani Jafo said during a ministerial meeting that Tanzania plans to cut carbon emissions by 30-35% by 2030. Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 5 July 2022 The ministerial appointments announced by Prime Minister Najla Bouden filled a vacuum that had persisted since President Kais Saied abruptly dismissed his Cabinet and suspended Parliament 11 weeks ago, concentrating all executive powers. BostonGlobe.com, 12 Oct. 2021 Despite a slight easing of tensions between the two countries, highlighted by the first ministerial meetings in three years, China has yet to lift punishing tariffs on Australia. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 12 July 2022 The role of county lawmakers in the certification process is ministerial. CBS News, 24 June 2022 Certifying elections by typically under-the-radar local commissions has been a routine ministerial task for decades that has become politicized ever since Trump sought to undermine the process following his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Susan Montoya Bryan, Morgan Lee, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2022 See More
Joe Wallace, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 Objections to language on climate targets and the war in Ukraine prevented a joint communiqué from being issued at the G20 ministerial meeting in Bali on Wednesday, diplomatic sources said. Reuters, CNN, 1 Sep. 2022 The effort began ahead of the WTO’s ministerial meeting in Geneva in June, the officials said, with the U.S. organizing two meetings of working-level representatives from dozens of member countries since this spring. Yuka Hayashi, WSJ, 11 July 2022 Selemani Jafo said during a ministerial meeting that Tanzania plans to cut carbon emissions by 30-35% by 2030. Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 5 July 2022 The ministerial appointments announced by Prime Minister Najla Bouden filled a vacuum that had persisted since President Kais Saied abruptly dismissed his Cabinet and suspended Parliament 11 weeks ago, concentrating all executive powers. BostonGlobe.com, 12 Oct. 2021 Despite a slight easing of tensions between the two countries, highlighted by the first ministerial meetings in three years, China has yet to lift punishing tariffs on Australia. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 12 July 2022 The role of county lawmakers in the certification process is ministerial. CBS News, 24 June 2022 Certifying elections by typically under-the-radar local commissions has been a routine ministerial task for decades that has become politicized ever since Trump sought to undermine the process following his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Susan Montoya Bryan, Morgan Lee, Anchorage Daily News, 18 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin ministeriālis "serving in an office (manorial or ecclesiastical)," going back to Late Latin, "serving, performing a duty," from Latin ministerium "activity of a servant, ministry" + -ālis -al entry 1
First Known Use
1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Legal Definition
ministerial
adjective
min·is·te·ri·al ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl
1
: being or having the characteristics of an act or duty prescribed by law as part of the duties of an administrative office
2
: relating to or being an act done after ascertaining the existence of a specified state of facts in obedience to legal and especially statutory mandate without exercise of personal judgment or discretion see also mandamus compare discretionary
3
: relating to a minister or ministry
ministerial
adjective
as in pastoral
of, relating to, or characteristic of the clergy a priest conscientiously tending to his ministerial duties Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- pastoral
- clerical
- priestly
- sacerdotal
- ecclesiastical
- episcopal
- missionary
- diocesan
- ecclesiastic
- apostolic
- evangelical
- clerkly
- papal
- diaconal
- religious
- pontifical
- evangelic
- divine
- sacramental
- churchly
- monastic
- canonical
- patriarchal
- rabbinic
- rabbinical
- conventual
- mendicant
- holy
- caliphal
- monachal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- secular
- lay
- temporal
- nonclerical