minister
UK: ˈmɪnɪstə | US: ˈmɪnɪstər
n. a member of the government who is in charge of a department
n. a religious leader, especially in certain Christian churches
v. to attend to the needs of someone; to serve
minister = mini<small> + ster<agent suffix>
- mini<small>: From Latin minis (less, smaller), reflecting the original sense of a subordinate or servant.
- ster<agent suffix>: A suffix denoting a person associated with an action or role (e.g., spinster, songster).
Etymology Origin:
The word minister traces back to Latin minister (servant, attendant), derived from minus (less). It originally referred to someone of lower rank or a subordinate, later evolving to denote government officials (as "servants of the state") and clergy (as "servants of God"). The shift from "servant" to "leader" reflects the historical role of ministers as intermediaries between authority and the people.
The health minister announced new policies to combat the pandemic.
She trained for years to become a minister in the Methodist church.
Volunteers ministered to the homeless during the winter storm.
The prime minister met with foreign diplomats.
His role was to minister to the needs of the community.