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Webster 1913 Edition


Menial

Men′ial

,
Adj.
[OE.
meneal
, fr.
meine
,
maine
, household, OF.
maisniée
,
maisnie
, LL.
mansionaticum
. See
Mansion
, and cf.
Meine
,
Noun.
,
Meiny
.]
1.
Belonging to a retinue or train of servants; performing servile office; serving.
Two
menial
dogs before their master pressed.
Dryden.
2.
Pertaining to servants, esp. domestic servants; servile; low; mean;
as,
menial
tasks
.
Menial offices.”
Swift.

Men′ial

,
Noun.
1.
A domestic servant or retainer, esp. one of humble rank; one employed in low or servile offices.
2.
A person of a servile character or disposition.

Webster 1828 Edition


Menial

ME'NIAL

, a.
1.
Pertaining to servants or domestic servants; low; mean.
The women attendants perform only the most menial offices.
[Johnson observes on this passage, that Swift seems not to have known the meaning of this word. But this is the only sense in which it is now used.]
2.
Belonging to the retinue or train of servants.
Two menial dogs before their master pressed.
[If this definition of Johnson is correct,it indicates that menial is from meinez, many, rather than from mesnie, family. But the sense may be house-dogs.]

Definition 2024


menial

menial

English

Adjective

menial (comparative more menial, superlative most menial)

  1. Of or relating to work normally performed by a servant.
  2. Of or relating to unskilled work. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
  3. Servile; low; mean.
    His sister was a menial girl, but he sought to help her develop a mind of her own.

Translations

Noun

menial (plural menials)

  1. A servant, especially a domestic servant.
  2. A person who has a subservient nature.

Translations