Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Menial"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Menial \Men"ial\, a. [OE. meneal, fr. meine, maine, household,
OF. maisni['e]e, maisnie, LL. mansionaticum. See {Mansion},
and cf. {Meine}, n., {Meiny}.]
1. Belonging to a retinue or train of servants; performing
servile office; serving.
Two menial dogs before their master pressed.
--Dryden.
2. Pertaining to servants, esp. domestic servants; servile;
low; mean. `` Menial offices.'' --Swift.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Menial \Men"ial\, n.
1. A domestic servant or retainer, esp. one of humble rank;
one employed in low or servile offices.
2. A person of a servile character or disposition.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
menial
adj : used of unskilled work (especially domestic work) [syn: {humble},
{lowly}]
n : a domestic servant [syn: {dogsbody}]
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