minority

noun

mi·​nor·​i·​ty mə-ˈnȯr-ə-tē How to pronounce minority (audio)
mī-,
-ˈnär-
plural minorities
1
a
: the smaller in number of two groups constituting a whole
The proposition was opposed by a minority of voters.
: a number or percentage equaling less than half of a total
a one-third minority
… a minority of votes can translate into a majority of seats.Carlos Lozada
b
: the smaller quantity or share
Teams in possession of the ball for a majority of the time have been no more likely to win than those in possession for a minority of the time.Kevin Pullein
2
: the group or political party having the smaller number of votes
the Democratic/Republican minority in the Senate
often used before another noun
a U.S. Senate minority leader
3
a
: a part of a population thought of as differing from the rest of the population in some characteristics and often subjected to differential treatment
the country's ethnic minorities
minority communities
b
: a member of a minority group
"… Speaking as a minority, it's even more satisfying to see women have the chance to follow their dreams. …"Isiah Thomas, quoted in Newsweek
a minority student
a minority-owned business
often used in plural
Doctors are struggling to comply with new federal guidelines requiring them to include more minorities in clinical trials …Douglas Stanglin et al.
4
a
: the period before a person reaches the age of majority (see majority sense 2a)
b
: the state of being a legal minor

Examples of minority in a Sentence

The proposal is opposed by a minority of voters. The Republicans are now the minority in the Senate. The group is becoming an influential minority in the community.
Recent Examples on the Web Biden’s team is keenly aware of the pushback his reelection has encountered in certain minority communities in Michigan. Joey Cappelletti, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 The district’s Latino voting population, which is a minority group protected under the act and mainly concentrated in North Sunnyvale, has not had a trustee elected from their area, which the district worries could lead to a lawsuit. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Appearing alongside TikTok creators outside the Capitol on Tuesday, Garcia said a ban would harm the economy and take away a platform that minority communities have used to connect. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2024 Republicans closed several minority outreach centers in battleground states more than a year ago and did not retain their minority media outreach directors. Michael C. Bender, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 India is home to 200 million Muslims who make up a large minority group in the country of more than 1.4 billion people. Sheikh Saaliq, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 The controversial law would apply to religious minorities persecuted on religious grounds, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians. Vedika Sud, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 The share of voters who believe the nation is on the right track remains a dismal and diminutive minority at 24 percent. Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Populations that were once a minority are becoming majority cultures, which will require marketers to re-evaluate who their target audiences are and pivot accordingly. Bart Caylor, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'minority.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Time Traveler
The first known use of minority was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near minority

Cite this Entry

“Minority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minority. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

minority

noun
mi·​nor·​i·​ty mə-ˈnȯr-ət-ē How to pronounce minority (audio)
mī-,
-ˈnär-
plural minorities
1
: the state or period of being a legal minor
2
: the smaller number
especially : a group having less than the number of votes necessary for control
3
: a part of a population that differs from other groups in some characteristics and is often given unfair treatment

Legal Definition

minority

noun
mi·​nor·​i·​ty
plural minorities
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 control
b
: a group of judges among those hearing an appeal who disagree with the majority's judgment : dissent sense 3
c
: a group of jurisdictions taking a less widespread approach to or view of a legal question, issue, or problem
3
a
: a part of a population differing especially from the dominant group in some characteristics (as race, sex, or national origin) and often subject to differential treatment
b
: a member of a minority
an effort to hire more minorities

More from Merriam-Webster on minority

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