Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Menial
Men′ial
,Adj.
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.” as,
. menial
tasksSwift.
Men′ial
,Noun.
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Menial
ME'NIAL
, a.1.
Pertaining to servants or domestic servants; low; mean. The women attendants perform only the most menial offices.
[Johnson observes on this passage, that Swift seems not to have known the meaning of this word. But this is the only sense in which it is now used.]
2.
Belonging to the retinue or train of servants. Two menial dogs before their master pressed.
[If this definition of Johnson is correct,it indicates that menial is from meinez, many, rather than from mesnie, family. But the sense may be house-dogs.]