Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MIN-IS-TE'RI-AL, a.

1. Attending for service; attendant; acting at command. Enlight'ning spirits and ministerial flames. Prior.
2. Acting under superior authority; pertaining to a minister. For the ministerial offices in court, there must be an eye to them. Bacon.
3. Pertaining to executive offices, as distinct from judicial. The office and acts of a sherif are ministerial.
4. Sacerdotal; pertaining to ministers of the Gospel; as, ministerial garments; ministerial duties. Genuine ministerial prudence keeps back no important truth, listens to no compromise with sin, connives at no fashionable vice, cringes before no lordly worldling. H. Humphrey.
5. Pertaining to ministers of state; as, ministerial circles; ministerial benches. Burke.