minister
UK[ˈmɪnɪstə]US[ˈmɪnɪstər]
n
A member of the government who is in charge of a particular department or has an important position in it.
n
A priest, especially in some Protestant churches.
v
To provide help or care to people who need it, especially as a job or duty.
Etymology
The word 'minister' entered English via Old French 'ministre' from the Latin 'minister', meaning "servant, attendant, an inferior agent." This Latin term itself derives from the comparative form 'minus', meaning "less." Thus, the core concept is of one who acts in a subordinate or service-oriented capacity. Over centuries, this notion of service evolved in two primary directions within English: the secular, pertaining to a servant of the state (a government official), and the religious, pertaining to a servant of the church (a clergy member). The verb form, meaning to attend to the needs of others, retains the most direct link to the original Latin sense of servitude and assistance.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Latin, where 'minister' functioned as a single unit meaning "servant, attendant." It is not productively segmented into smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern English spelling.
Examples
The new minister of education outlined her plans for school reform.
The minister delivered a powerful sermon to the congregation.
Nurses minister to the sick and injured with great compassion.