/ˈmɪnɪstri ||; ˈmɪnɪstrɪ/noun [C] (plural ministries) (also department) a government department that has a particular area of responsibility 部（政府内专门负责某方面事务的部门）: the Ministry of Defence 国防部 Department is the only word used in American English. 美国英语只用department一词。