Where does “minstrel” come from?
Minstrel comes from Middle English menestrel, from Old French menestral, from Latin ministerialis, derived from ministerium meaning service or office, ultimately from minister meaning servant, connected to minor meaning less and minae meaning threats or menaces.
minstrel (English): A medieval traveling entertainer who would sing...
Definitions
- A medieval traveling entertainer who would sing...
Ancestry of “minstrel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | menestrel | — |
| 2 | Old French | menestral | entertainer, servant, official |
| 3 | Latin | ministerialis | servant, employee; ministerial, servants |
| 4 | Latin | ministerium | ministry; employment, ministration; service |
| 5 | Latin | -ium | Suffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes... |
| 6 | Latin | -ius | forming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | -jōs | Forms comparative adjectives |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yós | Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems |
Words derived from “minstrel”