# minister

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɪn.əˌstɚ/ · frequency rank #972

## Definitions
1. A person who is trained to preach, to perform religious ceremonies, and to afford pastoral care at a Protestant church.
2. A person (either a layperson or an ordained clergy member) who is commissioned to perform some act on behalf of the Catholic Church.
3. A politician who heads a ministry
4. In diplomacy, the rank of diplomat directly below ambassador.
5. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument.

## Etymology
From Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister (“an attendant, servant, assistant, a priest's assistant or other under official”), from minor (“less”) + -ter; see minor. Doublet of Minorite.

## Easily confused with
- **mister** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minister-vs-mister)
- **monster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minister-vs-monster)
- **Munster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minister-vs-munster)
- **minster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minister-vs-minster)
- **ministry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minister-vs-ministry)
- **ministers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/minister-vs-ministers)
- **meister** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/meister-vs-minister)

## Common misspellings (12)
`imnister`, `miinster`, `minisetr`, `minisster`, `ministerr`, `ministre`, `ministter`, `minitser`, `minnister`, `minsiter`, `mminister`, `mniister`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/minister