- menial
- [[t]mi͟ːniəl[/t]]
ADJ-GRADEDMenial work is very boring, and the people who do it have a low status and are usually badly paid.
...low paid menial jobs, such as cleaning and domestic work.
English dictionary. 2008.
...low paid menial jobs, such as cleaning and domestic work.
English dictionary. 2008.
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
menial — {{11}}menial (adj.) late 14c., pertaining to a household, from Anglo Fr. meignial, from O.Fr. mesnie household, earlier mesnede, from V.L. *mansionata, from L. mansionem dwelling (see MANSION (Cf. mansion)). Sense of lowly, humble, suited to a… … Etymology dictionary