minion n. [MIN-yun]
下属，奴才，宠臣
Definition
1: s servile dependent, follower, or underling
1：侍从，随员，或下属
2: one highly favored: idol
2：非常受宠的人：偶像
3: a subordinate or petty official
3：下属或次级官员
注：servile：屈从的，奴隶的，不自由的；dependent n. 【古】侍从，随员；underling：部下，下属；idol：偶像，菩萨；petty：小的，琐碎的，次要的，狭隘的
Did You Know?
Minion comes to us from Middle French and had a somewhat surprising cousin in English: filet mignon. The two words are connected by way of Middle French mignon, meaning "darling." Minion entered Egnlish around 1500 directly from Middle French, whereas filet mignon arrived significantly later by way of a modern French phrase meaning "dainty filet." The earliest uses of minion referred to someone who was a particular favorite, or darling, of a sovereign or other important personage. Over time, however, the word developed a more derogatory sense referring to a person who is servile and unimportant.
词源/词根演化：mignon (Middle French, "darling") --> minion / filet mignon (French，菲力牛排)
Minion是从中古法语进入到英语世界的，还有一个令人惊异的远亲：filet mignon（菲力牛排）。这两个词都与中古法语mignon（“亲爱的”）有联系。Minion大约在1500年前后由中古法语直接进入英语，但是filet mignon则晚得多，由一条意思是dainty filet（美味的肉片）的现代法语短语而来。最早期minion用于指代特别受欢迎的，特别可敬的君主/元首，或者其他重要人物。随着时间流逝，这个词却发展出了贬义的意思，用于指代奴仆或者不重要的人。
注：dainty：小巧精致的，优美的，可口的；dainty filet：可口美味的肉片；sovereign：n. 君主，元首 adj. 至高无上的； derogatory：贬义的
filet mignon：菲力牛排 filet：肉片，鱼片，网格状花边 mignon：嫩里脊肉（Mignon：【法】女子名，蜜妮安）
Examples
- The senior executive has a small platoon of minions to run both personal and business errands for him.
这个高级行政长官有一队人马专门负责他的个人事务以及商务差事。
注：platoon：[plə'tuːn] 团，排，组；errand： ['erənd] 差事，跑腿
- "Smartphones make it easier for managers to change their minds at the last moment: for example, to e-mail a minion at 11pm to tell him he must fly to Pittsburgh tomorrow."
--- The Economist, 10 Mar. 2012
智能手机使得经理人们可以在最后的时刻改变他们的主意：例如，在深夜11点用邮件通知下属必须明天飞往匹兹堡。
注：Pittsburgh：匹兹堡（美国城市名），Carnegie Mellon University(卡耐基梅隆大学)与University of Pittsburgh (匹兹堡大学)所在地。