minion

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: min=ion

CIDE DICTIONARY

minion, n. 

 Minimum.  Burton.  [1913 Webster]

minion, n. [F. mignon, fr. OHG. minni love, G. minne; akin to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Mignonette.].

•  A loved one; one highly esteemed and favored; -- in a good sense.  [1913 Webster]

  "God's disciple and his dearest minion."  [1913 Webster]

  "Is this the Athenian minion whom the world
  Voiced so regardfully?"  [1913 Webster]
•  An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite.  Sir J. Davies.  [1913 Webster]

  "Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy!"  [1913 Webster]
•  A small kind of type, in size between brevier and nonpareil.  [1913 Webster]
•  An ancient form of ordnance, the caliber of which was about three inches.  Beau. & Fl.  [1913 Webster]

minion, a. [See 2d Minion.].

 Fine; trim; dainty.  Fryth.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

minion, n. derog.
1 a servile agent; a slave.
2 a favourite servant, animal, etc.
3 a favourite of a sovereign etc.

Etymology

F mignon, OF mignot, of Gaulish orig.

THESAURUS

minion

Charlie McCarthy, adherent, agent, ancilla, apple-polisher, appliance, ass-licker, backscratcher, backslapper, bootlick, bootlicker, brown-nose, brownie, clawback, contrivance, cosset, courtier, creature, cringer, darling, dependent, device, disciple, dummy, dupe, favorite, fawner, feudatory, figurehead, flatterer, flunky, follower, fondling, footlicker, gillie, go-between, goon, groveler, handmaid, handmaiden, handshaker, hanger-on, helot, henchman, homager, idol, implement, inferior, instrument, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermedium, jackal, jewel, kowtower, lackey, led captain, lever, lickspit, lickspittle, liege, liege man, man, matinee idol, mealymouth, mechanism, mediator, medium, midwife, myrmidon, organ, pawn, peon, pet, plaything, preference, puppet, retainer, satellite, serf, servant, slave, spaniel, spoiled child, stooge, subordinate, suck, sycophant, thug, timeserver, toad, toadeater, toady, tool, toy, trucker, truckler, tufthunter, underling, understrapper, vassal, vehicle, votary, yeoman, yes-man

ROGET THESAURUS

minion

Favorite

N favorite, pet, cosset, minion, idol, jewel, spoiled child, enfant gat_e, led captain, crony, fondling, apple of one's eye, man after one's own heart, persona grata, love dear, darling, duck, duckey, honey, sugar, jewel, mopsey, moppet, princess, sweetheart, sweetie, teacher's pet, general favorite, universal favorite, idol of the people.