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Ministered

 - 4 dictionary results

min⋅is⋅ter

  [min-uh-ster]
Use Ministered in a Sentence
–noun
1. a person authorized to conduct religious worship; member of the clergy; pastor.
2. a person authorized to administer sacraments, as at Mass.
3. a person appointed by or under the authority of a sovereign or head of a government to some high office of state, esp. to that of head of an administrative department: the minister of finance.
4. a diplomatic representative accredited by one government to another and ranking next below an ambassador. Compare envoy 1 (def. 1).
5. a person acting as the agent or instrument of another.
–verb (used with object)
6. to administer or apply: to minister the last rites.
7. Archaic. to furnish; supply.
–verb (used without object)
8. to perform the functions of a religious minister.
9. to give service, care, or aid; attend, as to wants or necessities.: to minister to the needs of the hungry.
10. to contribute, as to comfort or happiness.
Origin:
1250–1300; (n.) ME ministre, minister (< OF ministre) < L minister servant, equiv. to minis- (var. of minus a lesser amount; akin to minor minor ) + -ter n. suffix; r. ME menistre < OF < L, as above; (v.) ME ministren < OF ministrer < L ministrāre to act as a servant, attend, deriv. of minister

Synonyms:
9. answer, tend, oblige.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Ministered
min·is·ter   (mĭn'ĭ-stər)   
n.   Abbr. Min.

    1. One who is authorized to perform religious functions in a Christian church, especially a Protestant church.

    2. Roman Catholic Church The superior in certain orders.

  2. A high officer of state appointed to head an executive or administrative department of government.

  3. An authorized diplomatic representative of a government, usually ranking next below an ambassador.

  4. A person serving as an agent for another by carrying out specified orders or functions.

v.   min·is·tered, min·is·ter·ing, min·is·ters

v.   intr.

  1. To attend to the wants and needs of others: Volunteers ministered to the homeless after the flood. See Synonyms at tend2.

  2. To perform the functions of a cleric.

v.   tr.
To administer or dispense (a sacrament, for example).

[Middle English, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister, servant; see mei-2 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

minister

A title used in many countries for members of cabinets and similar public officials, who are roughly equivalent to the officials in the United States cabinet. For example, a minister of foreign affairs will have duties similar to those of the secretary of state of the United States.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

minister 
1297, "one who acts upon the authority of another," from O.Fr. ministre "servant," from L. minister (gen. ministri) "servant, priest's assistant" (in M.L. "priest"), from minus, minor "less," hence "subordinate," + comp. suffix *-teros. Meaning "priest" is attested in Eng. from c.1315. Political sense of "high officer of the state" is attested from 1625, from notion of "service to the crown." The verb is from c.1300, originally "to serve (food or drink)."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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