"Poimenics" is a rarely used term that refers to the art of pastoral ministry. The word is spelled as pɔɪˈmɛnɪks in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable is pronounced as "poi" (like in the word "point"), followed by "men" (like in the word "men") and "ics" (like in the word "tics"). The word derives from the Greek word "poimēn", meaning a shepherd or pastor. Though not commonly used, poimenics remains an important aspect of religious studies and Christianity.