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ministry

- 5 dictionary results

min⋅is⋅try

[min-uh-stree]
–noun, plural -tries.
1. the service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion.
2. the body or class of ministers of religion; clergy.
3. the service, function, or office of a minister of state.
4. the body of ministers of state.
5. (usually initial capital letter) any of the administrative governmental departments of certain countries usually under the direction of a minister of state.
6. (usually initial capital letter) the building that houses such an administrative department.
7. the term of office of a minister of state.
8. an act or instance of ministering; ministration; service.
9. something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means.

Origin:
1175–1225; ME < L ministerium, equiv. to minister minister + -ium -ium
min·is·try   (mĭn'ĭ-strē)   
n.   pl. min·is·tries
    1. The act of serving; ministration.
    2. One that serves as a means; an instrumentality.
    3. The profession, duties, and services of a minister.
    4. The Christian clergy.
    5. The period of service of a minister.
    6. A governmental department presided over by a minister.
    7. The building in which such a department is housed.
    8. The duties, functions, or term of a governmental minister.
    9. often Ministry Governmental ministers considered as a group.
    1. The profession, duties, and services of a minister.
    2. The Christian clergy.
    3. The period of service of a minister.
    4. A governmental department presided over by a minister.
    5. The building in which such a department is housed.
    6. The duties, functions, or term of a governmental minister.
    7. often Ministry Governmental ministers considered as a group.
    1. A governmental department presided over by a minister.
    2. The building in which such a department is housed.
    3. The duties, functions, or term of a governmental minister.
    4. often Ministry Governmental ministers considered as a group.

[Middle English ministerie, from Old French ministere, from Latin ministerium, from minister, servant; see mei-2 in Indo-European roots.]

Ministry

Min"is*try\, n.; pl. Ministries . [L. ministerium. See Minister, n., and cf. Mystery a trade.]

1. The act of ministering; ministration; service. "With tender ministry." --Thomson.

2. Hence: Agency; instrumentality.

The ordinary ministry of second causes. --Atterbury.

The wicked ministry of arms. --Dryden.

3. The office, duties, or functions of a minister, servant, or agent; ecclesiastical, executive, or ambassadorial function or profession.

4. The body of ministers of state; also, the clergy, as a body.

5. Administration; rule; term in power; as, the ministry of Pitt.
Language Translation for : ministry
Spanish: sacerdocio, clerecía,
German: das geistliche Amt,
Japanese: 牧師の職

ministry 
1382, "function of a priest," from L. ministerium "office, service," from minister (see minister). Began to be used 1916 as name of certain departments in British government.

ministry

in Christianity, the office held by persons who are set apart by ecclesiastical authority to be ministers in the church or whose call to special vocational service in a church is afforded some measure of general recognition. The type of ministry varies in the different churches. That which developed in the early church and is retained by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Old Catholic, Anglican, and some Protestant churches is episcopal (see episcopacy) and is based on the three orders, or offices, of bishop, priest, and deacon.

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