English → Latin
“minister” in Latin
rēxking, ruler; despot, tyrant (during the time of the Republic when there were no kings and executive power was usually diisthis or that man, woman or thing; he, she, it, they (previously introduced); this or that [man, woman or thing] (as a noministrōto attend, wait upon, serve; to manage, govern, take care of; to do, execute, carry outpraebeōto proffer, offer; to provide, grant, furnish, supply, service; to show, displayprōsumto be useful or of use, do good, help, benefit, profit; to serve; to be good or beneficialcondūcōto lead, bring or draw together; assemble, collect; to connect, join, unite; close up; coagulate; to hire, rent, employ,iuvōto help, aid; to delight, gratify, pleaseserviōto be a slave to; to serve; to be devoted to, subject to; to have respect to, regard or care for, consult
The English word minister itself goes back to Latin minor, through minister.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
minister s.
amicus principis, regis (as a friend and assistant of the prince): principis socius et administer omnium consiliorum, socius consiliorum principis et particeps consiliarius (as a counsellor of the prince; after Sall., Jug., 29, 1; Plaut., Mil., 4, 2, 22). A cabinet minister, comes consistorianus (☞ in the later period of the empire): minister for foreign affairs, *qui principi adest rerum externarum arbiter atque administer: minister of the interior, *principis minister et adjutor consiliorum domesticorum: minister of public worship, *cui cura sacrorum tradita est: minister of finance, cui cura aerarii tradita est (after Suet., Oct., 36): minister of war, amicus regis, qui in consilio semper adest et omnium rerum bellicarum habetur particeps (after Nep., Eum., 1, 5 and 6): to make anyone a minister, aliquem socium et administrum omnium consiliorum assumere (after Sall., Jug., 29, 1): the ministers, *primates aulici (Ern.); *qui principi adsunt consiliorum arbitri atque administri (Eichst.). Vid: also, MINISTRY.
minister v.
TRANS., ministrare; dare; praebere. INTRANS., to conduce, prodesse; conducere; usui esse; utilem esse; utilitatem habere or praebere; juvare (Cic.); servire (Col.); in rem esse (Sall.); esse (Cic.), ministrare alicui; ministerium facere alicui (Justinus). To minister in sacred things, res sacras administrare or dispensare, or rebus sacris praeesse (after Cic.).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for minister?
- The usual Latin words for “minister” are rēx, is, ministrō; also praebeō, prōsum, condūcō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.