minority

minority
1 noun
1 (singular) a small group of people or things within a much larger group: Gaelic is still spoken in Ireland by a tiny minority.
(+ of): It's only in a minority of cases that the illness is fatal. (also + plural verb BrE): Only a minority support these new laws.
2 (countable usually plural)
a) a group of people in a country who are different from the rest in race or religion: People from ethnic minorities often face prejudice and discrimination.
b) AmE someone who belongs to a group like this: hiring minorities and women
3 be in the/a minority to form less than half of a larger group: Boys are very much in the minority at the dance class.
4 be in a minority of one to be the only person in a group who has a particular opinion
5 (U) law the period of time when someone is below the age at which they become legally responsible for their actions
—opposite majority 2 adjective (only before noun) relating to people who form less than half of a larger group of people: a series of television programmes designed to appeal to minority interests | a minority language

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Minority — may refer to: Contents 1 Law 2 Politics 3 Anthropology and language 4 Economy 5 Sociology …   Wikipedia

  • minority — mi·nor·i·ty n pl ties 1 a: the period before attainment of majority b: the state of being a minor 2: the smaller of two groups constituting a whole: as a: a group (as in a legislative body) having less than the number of votes necessary for… …   Law dictionary

  • minority — 1. Minority has meanings at the other end of the scale of magnitude from majority, and is likewise treated as a singular noun except when used with of and a plural noun, in which case it too is plural: • Only a minority of Germans (around a third …   Modern English usage

  • minority — mi‧nor‧i‧ty I added this because majority is in. [maɪˈnɒrti ǁ mˈnɔːr , ˈnɑːr ] noun [singular] less than half of the people or things in a particular group: minority of • He insists that only a minority of workers at the factory want the union …   Financial and business terms

  • Minority — Single par Green Day extrait de l’album Warning: Sortie 31 octobre 2000 Enregistrement 2000 Durée 2:49 Genre Punk rock Format …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Minority — Mi*nor i*ty, n.; pl. {Minorities}. [Cf. F. minorit[ e]. See {Minor}, a. & n.] [1913 Webster] 1. The state of being a minor, or under age. [1913 Webster] 2. State of being less or small. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] 3. The smaller number;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Minority — «Minority» Sencillo de Green Day del álbum Warning: Formato CD Grabación 2000 Género(s) Pop punk Duración 2:49 …   Wikipedia Español

  • minority — (n.) 1530s, condition of being smaller, from M.Fr. minorité (15c.), or directly from M.L. minoritatem (nom. minoritas), from L. minor (see MINOR (Cf. minor) (adj.)). Meaning state of being under legal age is from 1540s; that of smaller number or… …   Etymology dictionary

  • minority — *infancy, nonage Antonyms: majority …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • minority — ► NOUN (pl. minorities) 1) the smaller number or part; a number or part representing less than half of the whole. 2) a relatively small group of people differing from the majority in race, religion, language, etc. 3) the state or period of being… …   English terms dictionary

  • minority — [mī nôr′ə tē, minôr′ə tē; mīnär′ə tē, minär′ə tē] n. pl. minorities [ML minoritas < L minor,MINOR] 1. the lesser part or smaller number; less than half of a total 2. a group, party, or faction with a smaller number of votes or adherents than… …   English World dictionary

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