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⇱ menial - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

menial

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈmiːniəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈminiəl, ˈminjəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(mē′nē əl, mēn′yəl)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
me•ni•al /ˈminiəl, ˈminyəl/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. degrading;
    low or unimportant:menial work.

n. [countable]
  1. a domestic servant.
me•ni•al•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
me•ni•al  (mē′nē əl, mēn′yəl),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. lowly and sometimes degrading:menial work.
  2. servile;
    submissive:menial attitudes.
  3. pertaining to or suitable for domestic servants;
    humble:menial furnishings.

n. 
  1. a domestic servant.
  2. a servile person.
  • Anglo-French me(i)nial. See meiny, -al1
  • Middle English meynyal 1350–1400
me′ni•al•ly, adv. 
    2. fawning. See servile. 4. attendant, underling, hireling, lackey.
    1. dignified. 2. proud.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
menial /ˈmiːnɪəl/ adj
  1. consisting of or occupied with work requiring little skill, esp domestic duties such as cleaning
  2. of, involving, or befitting servants
  3. servile
 n
  1. a domestic servant
  2. a servile person
Etymology: 14th Century: from Anglo-Norman meignial, from Old French meinie household. See meiny
'menial' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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