minority
noun
mi·nor·i·ty mə-ˈnȯr-ə-tē 
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
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
Kevin Pullein
2
: the group or political party having the smaller number of votes
—often used before another noun
the Democratic/Republican minority in the Senate
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
—often used in plural
"… Speaking as a minority, it's even more satisfying to see women have the chance to follow their dreams. …"—Isiah Thomas, quoted in Newsweek
Isiah Thomas, quoted in Newsweek
a minority student
a minority-owned business
Doctors are struggling to comply with new federal guidelines requiring them to include more minorities in clinical trials …—Douglas Stanglin et al.
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 Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority. —Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024 But a minority, from a faction of outraged magicians from around the world, were decidedly not. —Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024 Its product will be able to handle more than 100 local languages across speech and text, a drive that would widen internet access beyond the country’s urban English-speaking minority. —Sankalp Phartiyal, Fortune Asia, 19 Apr. 2024 Now leaders who believe that office workers will be back at their desks five days a week are actually in the small minority: Nearly half of CEOs have conceded that the future of work is hybrid. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024 Some school leaders say the state's evaluation system unfairly punishes urban and minority students and districts. —The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024 Ranadive, who resides in Atherton, sold his minority share in the Golden State Warriors last decade to become majority owner of the Kings, keeping the NBA franchise in Sacramento after the previous owners had tried to facilitate a relocation to Seattle or even, for a few dramatic days, to Virginia. —Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024 Wa people are indigenous to China’s frontier, just like Tibetans and Uyghurs, minorities who’ve suffered deeply under a Chinese government that micromanages their every move. —Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024 Michelle Morgan remains the chair in DARE’s new board structure, and becomes company director and minority shareholder of the business. —Lexi Carson, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Samanth Subramanian Vikas Adam Tanya Pérez Zachary Mouton, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024 But a minority, from a faction of outraged magicians from around the world, were decidedly not. —Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2024 Its product will be able to handle more than 100 local languages across speech and text, a drive that would widen internet access beyond the country’s urban English-speaking minority. —Sankalp Phartiyal, Fortune Asia, 19 Apr. 2024 Now leaders who believe that office workers will be back at their desks five days a week are actually in the small minority: Nearly half of CEOs have conceded that the future of work is hybrid. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2024 Some school leaders say the state's evaluation system unfairly punishes urban and minority students and districts. —The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024 Ranadive, who resides in Atherton, sold his minority share in the Golden State Warriors last decade to become majority owner of the Kings, keeping the NBA franchise in Sacramento after the previous owners had tried to facilitate a relocation to Seattle or even, for a few dramatic days, to Virginia. —Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024 Wa people are indigenous to China’s frontier, just like Tibetans and Uyghurs, minorities who’ve suffered deeply under a Chinese government that micromanages their every move. —Patrick Winn, Rolling Stone, 13 Apr. 2024 Michelle Morgan remains the chair in DARE’s new board structure, and becomes company director and minority shareholder of the business. —Lexi Carson, Variety, 8 Apr. 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.
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Cite this Entry
“Minority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minority. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
minority
noun mi·nor·i·ty mə-ˈnȯr-ət-ē
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
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