noun
minion
MIHN-yuhn
noun
1
A follower or underling who carries out orders, often unquestioningly, for someone more powerful.
"The villain sent his minions to retrieve the stolen jewel."
"She treats her assistants like minions rather than colleagues."
How to Use Minion
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA loyal but low-ranking follower who does someone else's bidding.
Common mistake
Historically it meant a beloved favorite, quite different from today's slightly negative sense of a servile underling.
Common pairings
loyal minions
send in the minions
Word Forms
more minion comparative, most minion superlative
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The villain sent his _____ to retrieve the stolen jewel.
Etymology
From Middle French mignon, "darling" or "favorite," originally describing a royal favorite before it took on its modern, often dismissive sense of a lowly follower.