minority

== English == === Etymology === From Late Middle English minoritie, from Middle French minorité, and its source Late Latin minōritās, from Latin minor. Morphologically minor +‎ -ity. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /maɪˈnɒɹ.ɪ.ti/, /mɪˈnɒɹ.ɪ.ti/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /maɪˈnoɹ.ɪ.ti/, /mɪˈnoɹ.ɪ.ti/, /maɪˈnoɹ.ə.ti/ (New York City) IPA(key): /maɪˈnɑ.ɹɪ.ti/, /mɪˈnɑ.ɹɪ.ti/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /mɑeˈnɔɹ.ə.ti/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /maɪˈnɒɹ.ə.ti/, [mɑe̯ˈnɔ̟ɹ.ə.ti] Rhymes: -ɒɹɪti === Noun === minority (countable and uncountable, plural minorities) The state or condition of being smaller, inferior, or subordinate to something or someone else; lesserness. The state of being a minor; youth, the period of a person's life prior to reaching adulthood. [from 15th c.] Synonym: childhood Antonym: adulthood Any subgroup that does not form a numerical majority. [from 18th c.] Antonym: majority (US) A member of an ethnic minority. [from 20th c.] (sociology) A group of people seen as distinct who are subordinated and discriminated against in a society. (India, euphemistic) A Muslim. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== minor ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === minority (comparative more minority, superlative most minority) (relational, attributive) Of or relating to a minority. (attributive, politics, of a party, government, etc.) Empowered by or representing a minority (usually a plurality) of votes cast, legislative seats, etc., rather than an outright majority thereof. minority government ==== Translations ==== === See also === Thesaurus:quantifier === Further reading === “minority”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. “minority”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.