Where does “underminister” come from?

underminister (English) comes from English minister, from Middle English ministre, from Old French ministre, from Latin minister, from Latin minus, from Proto-Italic minos — less.

underminister (English): A minister who is subordinate to another

Definitions

  1. A minister who is subordinate to another

Ancestry of “underminister”, step by step

underminister traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English minister

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishministerA person who is trained to preach, to perform...
2Middle EnglishministreA hireling or secretary; one who serves and...
3Old Frenchministre
4Latinministerattendant, servant, waiter; agent, aide;...
5Latinminusnominative neuter singular of minor; accusative...
6Proto-Italicminosless

via English under

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderIn or at a lower level than; As a subject of;...
2Middle Englishunderunder
3Old Englishunderunder, beneath
4Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside
Every word from Proto-Italic minosEvery word from Latin minusEvery word from Latin minister