minister without portfolio

noun

, plural ministers without portfolios.

1. a minister of state who is not appointed to any specific department in a government.

Word History and Origins

Origin of minister without portfolio¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Yisrael Galili, a minister without portfolio, sought a “fitting response” to the U.N. in the settlement committee he chaired.

From The Daily Beast

What does a Minister without portfolio do when he comes to work?

From The Daily Beast

Dr. Murray approved the idea, and thought that the Minister without Portfolio might give up loafing and take to fishing.

From Project Gutenberg

He was now "minister without portfolio" in the Schreiner Ministry.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet he only held office for six months—as minister without portfolio in the Scanlen ministry from May to November 1881.

From Project Gutenberg

He then became what is known on the continent as a minister without portfolio.

From Project Gutenberg