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To support my brothers and me, my mother got a job so menial that we never discussed it.
Eric Braeden

Meaning of "menial" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD MENIAL

From Anglo-Norman meignial, from Old French meinie household.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF MENIAL

menial  [ˈmiːnɪəl] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF MENIAL

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Menial can act as a noun and an adjective.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES MENIAL MEAN IN ENGLISH?

menial

Domestic worker

A domestic worker is a person who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping. Responsibilities may also include cooking, doing laundry and ironing, food shopping and other household errands. Some domestic workers live within the household where they work. At its 301st Session, the ILO Governing Body agreed to place an item on decent work for domestic workers on the agenda of the 99th Session of the International Labour Conference with a view to the setting of labour standards. The conditions faced by domestic workers have varied considerably throughout history and in the contemporary world. In the course of twentieth-century movements for labour rights, women's rights and immigrant rights, the conditions faced by domestic workers and the problems specific to their class of employment have come to the fore. In 2011, the International Labour Organization adopted the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers which covers decent work conditions for domestic workers.

Definition of menial in the English dictionary

The first definition of menial in the dictionary is consisting of or occupied with work requiring little skill, esp domestic duties such as cleaning. Other definition of menial is of, involving, or befitting servants. Menial is also servile.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH MENIAL


achenial
əˈkiːnɪəl
akenial
əˈkiːnɪəl
catamenial
ˌkætəˈmiːnɪəl
centennial
sɛnˈtɛnɪəl
colonial
kəˈləʊnɪəl
contubernyal
ˌkɒntjʊˈbɜːnɪəl
corneal
ˈkɔːnɪəl
cuneal
ˈkjuːnɪəl
hernial
ˈhɜːnɪəl
hymenial
haɪˈmiːnɪəl
matrimonial
ˌmætrɪˈməʊnɪəl
penial
ˈpiːnɪəl
perennial
pəˈrɛnɪəl
primigenial
ˌpraɪmɪˈdʒiːnɪəl
primogenial
ˌpraɪməʊˈdʒiːnɪəl
splenial
ˈspliːnɪəl
testimonial
ˌtɛstɪˈməʊnɪəl
ungenial
ʌnˈdʒiːnɪəl
venial
ˈviːnɪəl
xenial
ˈziːnɪəl

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE MENIAL

menhir
menially
menilite
Meninga
meningeal
meninges
meningioma
meningitic
meningitides
meningitis
meningocele
meningococcal
meningococcall
meningococci
meningococcic
meningococcus
meninx
meniscal
meniscate
meniscectomy

WORDS THAT END LIKE MENIAL

bicentennial
biennial
congenial
cranial
denial
domanial
extracranial
finial
genial
intercolonial
intracranial
millennial
monial
neocolonial
patrimonial
post-colonial
self-denial
transcranial
triennial
uncongenial

Synonyms and antonyms of menial in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «MENIAL»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «menial» and belong to the same grammatical category.
synonyms of menial

Translation of «menial» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF MENIAL

Find out the translation of menial to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of menial from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «menial» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

卑微的
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

de baja categoría
570 millions of speakers

English

menial
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

सेवक
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

ضيعة
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

черную
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

subalterno
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

ভৃত্য
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

subalterne
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Menial
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

niedrig
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

単調な
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

천한
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Kurang ajar
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

đầy tớ
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

குற்றேவல்
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

लठ्ठपणा
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

bayağı
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

umile
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

służebny
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

чорну
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

dezonorante
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

ταπεινωτικές
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

vuil
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

simpla
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

menial
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of menial

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «MENIAL»

The term «menial» is regularly used and occupies the 71.396 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
67
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «menial» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of menial
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «menial».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «MENIAL» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «menial» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «menial» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about menial

EXAMPLES

7 QUOTES WITH «MENIAL»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word menial.
1
Richard C. Armitage
I did quite a lot of menial jobs. I was a waiter, an inventory clerk touring round properties listing cups and saucers, and a laserquest marshal.
2
Eric Braeden
To support my brothers and me, my mother got a job so menial that we never discussed it.
3
William J. Brennan, Jr.
There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes.
4
Eugene V. Debs
Those who produce should have, but we know that those who produce the most - that is, those who work hardest, and at the most difficult and most menial tasks, have the least.
5
Amanda Hale
I grew up in northwest London on a council estate. My parents are Irish immigrants who came over here when they were very young and worked in menial jobs all their lives, and I'm one of many siblings.
6
Harriet Martineau
For my own part, I had rather suffer any inconvenience from having to work occasionally in chambers and kitchen... than witness the subservience in which the menial class is held in Europe.
7
Hortense Odlum
It is not serving, but servility, that is menial.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «MENIAL»

Discover the use of menial in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to menial and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
The Menial Art of Cooking: Archaeological Studies of Cooking ...
Based on the session "Archaeological Studies of Cooking and Food Preparation" at the Society for American Archaeology conference in 2005.
Sarah R. Graff, Enrique Rodríguez-Alegría, 2012
2
The Cultural Study of Work
This shift represents, in part, what Dorothy Roberts (1997) has termed the split between "spiritual" and "menial" housework. She argues that not only is work divided into productive and reproductive labor, but the reproductive labor of the home ...
Douglas A. Harper, Doug Harper, Helene M. Lawson, 2003
3
Menial: Skilled Labor in Science Fiction
Miner. Harvester. Mechanic. Sanitation Worker. These are not the typical careers of your average science fiction protagonists. Until now.
Aj Fitzwater, M. Bennardo, Sean Jones, 2012
4
Feminism and Ancient Philosophy
Hence, rulers cannot be menial laborers. As I have suggested, Aristotle is not crazy to believe this. But it is important to distinguish between a menial life 1a life whose main activity is menial labor performed under conditions of dependence1  ...
Julie K. Ward, 1996
5
Australian National Bibliography
Added Entries: Victorian Community Managed Menial Health Services. Title. 362.2089 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Section of Social and Cultural Psychiatry. Symposium (14th : 1991 : Melbourne, Vic.). Cultural ...
‎1978
6
The Wealth of Nations: Representative Selections
The labor of a menial servant, on the contrary, adds to the value of nothing. Though the manufacturer has his wages advanced to him by his master, he, in reality, costs him no expense, the value of those wages being generally restored,  ...
Adam Smith, Bruce Mazlish, 1961
7
Common Bench Reports: Cases Argued and Determined in the ...
In an action for a quarter's wages,—the plaintiff claiming to be engaged on a yearly hiring,—it was held that he was a menial servant only, and only entitled to a month's warning. Hziddleston, Q. C., and Gnfitts, now shewed cause. The question ...
Great Britain. Court of Common Pleas, John Scott, 1865
8
Family and Divorce in California, 1850-1890: Victorian ...
The percentages alone make the point; 28.6 percent of women working in non- menial jobs and 30.5 percent of women working in menial jobs mentioned bad health.66 When specific Victorian infirmities—in this case “nervous” problems, ...
Robert L. Griswold
9
Slavery, Capitalism, and Politics in the Antebellum Republic
By further extension, a third meaning is obtained: menial work is “of the nature of drudgery” because performed by one of low status, probably a servant or slave. In principle these meanings are distinct (though not unrelated); in practice the ...
John Ashworth, 1995
10
The Jurist ...
A menial servant is not necessarily one who lives in the house ; bnt he must be one that is in the retinue of the master ; and the question is, whether a huntsman is in such a position. If intellectual standing have anything to do with the question,  ...
‎1865

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «MENIAL»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term menial is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Rideables Are So Hot Right Now. We Put Them to the Test | WIRED
Especially menial things, like walking. Enter the slew of small, electric, personal transportation devices that we're calling “rideables.” Thrust into ... «Wired, Jul 15»
2
Baby boomers a good pool of volunteers
They don't want to do routine or menial volunteer tasks. With less free time, many of today's volunteers expect challenging and meaningful work ... «Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, Jul 15»
3
"Samba" - A difficult dance [MOVIE REVIEW] - Easy Reader
Samba, an illegal immigrant from Senegal, has been working menial jobs in Paris for the past 10 years with two important objectives in mind. «Easy Reader News, Jul 15»
4
I Hate My New "Dream Job," What Should I Do? | Fast Company …
But now after a few months they have me doing menial stuff like paperwork and filing, not the exciting responsibilities I was lead to believe I'd ... «Fast Company, Jul 15»
5
Singer Jason Isbell nails follow-up to career-making disc …
There's the son of a dying state trooper, itching to leave his "Speed Trap Town"; the man grateful for, but trapped in his menial job; the couple ... «Spartanburg Herald Journal, Jul 15»
6
Beyond the Classroom: 2 years, 4 years, technical school — What's …
College graduates do not typically work menial jobs. And the unemployment rate among college graduates (ages 25-34) is only 2%. The pay ... «Miami Herald, Jul 15»
7
Assassin's Creed Syndicate guilt, the length of Ethan Carter, and …
... that women's elevated position in Sparta was down to the importance of reproduction and the use of helots (slaves) for all menial tasks. «Metro, Jul 15»
8
Japanese consumers quick to welcome robot assistants | Asia | DW …
The latest additions to the workforce will be tasked with menial jobs, such as cleaning the concourse and transporting luggage, but they are ... «Deutsche Welle, Jul 15»
9
How One School Provides Education For Children In A Nigerian IDP …
Typical of such IDPs camps in other parts of the country, the youths are jobless and cannot even find menial jobs, while the children stay at ... «SaharaReporters.com, Jul 15»
10
History of hatred: Why Ulfa targets Hindi-speaking people in Assam
... who over the decades took over menial jobs from Bhojpuri-speaking people. Major attacks on Hindi-speakers followed in 2003 and 2007. «Hindustan Times, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Menial [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/menial>. Oct 2026 ».
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