Etymology dictionary. 2014.
menial — me‧ni‧al [ˈmiːniəl] adjective menial work needs little skill and is badly paid: • He worked his way through college by taking menial jobs in the vacation. * * * menial UK US /ˈmiːniəl/ adjective ► used to describe work that does not need any… … Financial and business terms
Menial — Men ial, a. [OE. meneal, fr. meine, maine, household, OF. maisni[ e]e, maisnie, LL. mansionaticum. See {Mansion}, and cf. {Meine}, n., {Meiny}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Belonging to a retinue or train of servants; performing servile office; serving.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
menial — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ (of work) requiring little skill and lacking prestige. ► NOUN ▪ a person with a menial job. ORIGIN Old French, from mesnee household … English terms dictionary
Menial — Men ial, n. 1. A domestic servant or retainer, esp. one of humble rank; one employed in low or servile offices. [1913 Webster] 2. A person of a servile character or disposition. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
menial — index base (inferior), ignoble, inferior (lower in position), servile, subservient Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
menial — servile, slavish, *subservient, obsequious Analogous words: abject, *mean, sordid, ignoble: *base, low, vile: groveling, wallowing (see WALLOW) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
menial — [adj] lowly, low status abject, base, baseborn, boring, common, degrading, demeaning, dull, fawning, grovelling, humble, humdrum, ignoble, ignominious, low, mean, obeisant, obsequious, routine, servile, slavish, sorry, subservient, sycophantic,… … New thesaurus
menial — [mē′nē əl, mēn′yəl] adj. [ME meynal < Anglo Fr meignal < meiniee, a family retainer, servant < OFr meisniee, household < L mansio: see MANSION] 1. of or fit for servants 2. servile; low; mean n. 1. a domestic servant 2. a servile, low … English World dictionary
menial — me|ni|al1 [ˈmi:niəl] adj [Date: 1300 1400; : Anglo French; Origin: meiniee household , from Latin mansio; MANSION] menial work is boring, needs no skill, and is not important ▪ a menial job ▪ She did menial tasks about the house. menial 2 menial2 … Dictionary of contemporary English
menial — me|ni|al1 [ miniəl ] adjective menial work is boring or dirty and is considered to be of low status: a menial job in the kitchens menial me|ni|al 2 [ miniəl ] noun count someone who does menial work … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
