- the profession or duties of a minister of religion
- the performance of these duties
- ministers of religion or government ministers considered collectively
- the tenure of a minister
- a government department headed by a minister
- the buildings of such a department
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
min•is•try /ˈmɪnəstri/USA pronunciation
n., pl. -tries.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Religion the service or functions of a minister of religion:[countable]Her first ministry was a small Midwestern town.
- Religion the body or class of ministers of religion;
clergy:[countable;usually singular;the + ~]decided to enter the ministry of her church. - Government an administrative department headed by a government minister:[countable]a ministry of defense.
min•is•try
(min′ə strē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -tries.
- Religionthe service, functions, or profession of a minister of religion.
- Religionthe body or class of ministers of religion;
clergy. - Governmentthe service, function, or office of a minister of state.
- Governmentthe body of ministers of state.
- Government(usually cap.) any of the administrative governmental departments of certain countries usually under the direction of a minister of state.
- Government(usually cap.) the building that houses such an administrative department.
- Governmentthe term of office of a minister of state.
- an act or instance of ministering;
ministration;
service. - something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means.
- Latin ministerium, equivalent. to minister minister + -ium -ium
- Middle English 1175–1225
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ministry /ˈmɪnɪstrɪ/ n ( pl -tries)
'Ministry' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Aberdeen
- Admiralty Board
- call
- Capernaum
- Crucifixion
- Galilee
- government
- Grenville
- holy orders
- MAF
- MFAT
- Min.
- ministerial
- MOD
- MOT
- MSD
- order
- Peel
- Plymouth Brethren
- Quaker
- Sea Lord
- seat
- synoptic
- theology
- Wilhelmstrasse
- academic
- Air Ministry
- bishop
- board of trade
- cabinet
- commissariat
- itinerancy
- King's speech
- Lord Chancellor
- métier
- MGB
- ministerium
- M.O.I.
- mystery
- predestine
- priest
- prime minister
- Private Member
- pulpit
- Quai d'Orsay
- undersecretariat
- seminary
- street ministry