How Do You Spell MENIAL?

Pronunciation: [mˈiːnɪəl] (IPA)

The word "menial" comes from the Latin "minutia," meaning small or insignificant. It is spelled /ˈmiːniəl/ in IPA phonetic transcription, with the stress on the first syllable. The sound "ee" is pronounced as in the word "bee," while the "ia" combination produces a schwa sound. The spelling of "menial" is an example of English's irregular spelling rules, as there is no obvious reason why the word is spelled this way. Nonetheless, its meaning—a lowly or unskilled job—is widely recognized.

MENIAL Meaning and Definition

  1. Adjective:

    Menial refers to a task, job, or work that is considered lowly, mundane, or undignified, typically requiring little skill or intelligence. It involves routine and often repetitive duties that are simple and do not require specialized training or qualifications. Menial tasks are usually associated with manual labor, such as cleaning, sweeping, washing dishes, or other unskilled services.

    This term can also refer to a person who performs these low-skilled, unimportant tasks. A menial worker is commonly seen being employed in domestic settings, hospitality industries, or service-oriented jobs where their duties may be physically demanding and lack intellectual stimulation.

    The connotation of menial suggests a lack of prestige or status, sometimes even exhibiting a perception of servitude or subjugation. Menial work is typically viewed as less desirable than occupations that require specialized knowledge or hold higher societal regard.

    The word "menial" can also be used metaphorically to describe something as menial, indicating that it is unimportant, trivial, or lacking significant value or impact. In this context, it may imply a sense of disrespect or belittlement towards the subject matter.

    Overall, menial is an adjective that denotes tasks, jobs, or work that are characterized by being unskilled, mundane, low-status, and often physically demanding.

  2. • Belonging to the office of a servant; low; servile; mean, as an office or employment.
    • A servant; any servile cringing person.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for MENIAL *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for MENIAL

Etymology of MENIAL

The word "menial" originated in Middle English from the Old French term "mesnial", which derived from the Latin word "ministerialis". "Ministerialis" referred to a servant or someone who performed duties within a monastery or noble household. Over time, "ministerialis" became "mesnial" in Old French, and eventually evolved into "menial" in Middle English.

Similar spelling words for MENIAL

Plural form of MENIAL is MENIALS

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