minion

Meaning

Noun

1. A loyal servant of another, usually a more powerful being.
2. A sycophantic follower.
3. (obsolete) A loved one; one highly esteemed and favoured.
4. (obsolete) An ancient form of ordnance with a calibre of about three inches.
5. The size of type between nonpareil and brevier, standardized as 7-point.
6. (obsolete) Obsolete form of minium.

Adj

Favoured, beloved; "pet".

Synonyms

underling

subordinate

favorite

henchman

favourite

lackey

creature

flunky

stooge

pet

yes man

darling

myrmidon

idol

jackal

protege

second fiddle

servant

servile

sidekick

slave

sultana

follower

apprentice

blandisher

bootlicker

cajoler

cherished

dear

dependant

dogsbody

fawner

flatterer

flunkey

adulator

Hyphenated as

min‧ion

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmɪnjən/

Etymology

1490, from Middle French mignon (“lover, royal favourite, darling”), from Old French mignon (“dainty, pleasing, gentle, kind”), from Frankish *minnju (“love, friendship, affection, memory”), from Proto-Germanic *minþijō, *mindijō (“affectionate thought, care”), from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to think”). Doublet of mignon.