Definition

Noun: A government minister who is the head of a country's foreign ministry or department of foreign affairs. This person is responsible for managing the state's diplomatic relations and foreign policy.

Usage

The term "foreign minister" is a formal title for a senior cabinet member. It is typically used with the definite article "the" when referring to a specific individual in that role. The position is equivalent to the Secretary of State in the United States.

Examples

• The foreign minister will attend the summit on climate change next week.
• She was appointed foreign minister after a long career in diplomacy.
• A spokesperson for the foreign minister issued a statement regarding the trade agreement.

Advanced Usage

• "To meet with the foreign minister": To have a formal diplomatic meeting.
  • The ambassador is scheduled to meet with the foreign minister tomorrow.
• "A statement from the foreign minister": An official communication issued by or attributed to this minister.
  • The crisis was addressed in a statement from the foreign minister.

Variants and Related Words

• Foreign Ministry (n): The government department headed by the foreign minister.
  • The embassy sent the documents to the Foreign Ministry.
• Minister of Foreign Affairs (n): A synonymous formal title.
  • The Minister of Foreign Affairs signed the treaty on behalf of his government.

Synonyms

• Secretary of State (specific to the United States)
• External Affairs Minister

Related Phrases

• Diplomatic corps: The body of diplomats accredited to a particular country.
• Bilateral relations: The political and economic relationships between two sovereign states.

Noun

1. a government minister for foreign relations