Meaning

noun a person authorized to conduct religious worship

noun a person appointed to a high office in the government

noun a diplomat representing one government to another; ranks below ambassador

originFrom 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.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0