See Also: MINORITY(law)
minority(dictionary)
minority(dictionary)
Minority interest(finance)
Minority shareholders(finance)
Minority interest(money)
ethnic minority(dictionary)
minority government(dictionary)
minority leader(dictionary)
Minority Shareholder(money)

minority (iou)



minority noun & adjective. L15.
[French minorite or medieval Latin minoritas, from MINOR adjective & noun: see -ITY.]
A. noun.
The state of being a minor; the period of a person's life prior to attaining full age. L15.
J. R. Green The long minority of Henry the Sixth who was a boy..at his father's death.
b. The condition or fact of being smaller, inferior, or subordinate. M16-E18.
The smaller number or part; a number which is less than half the whole number. Also spec., (the number of votes cast for or by) the smaller party voting together in a deliberative assembly or electoral body. M18.
H. Wilson The right of a minority to differ from the majority. D. Francis He was one of the minority of men in morning suits.
A small group of people differing from the rest of a community in ethnic origin, religion, language, or culture; a member of such a group. E20.
national minority: see NATIONAL adjective.
Equals A campaign against racial hatred and the discrimination..facing ethnic minorities. I. Murdoch You're so keen on the rights of minorities, underprivileged groups or whatever jargon you use.
b. attrib. or as adjective. Of, for, composed of, or appealing to a minority of people. M20.
Language The lack of trained personnel..qualified to work with minority children. R. Dawkins Zoology is still a minority subject in universities.
Comb.: minority carrier Electronics in a semiconductor, a charge carrier (electron or hole) of the kind carrying the smaller proportion of the electric current; minority debt: incurred by a person while under age; minority government: in which the governing party has most seats but still less than half the total; minority movement a movement to secure justice or proper representation for minorities; minority report a separate report presented by members of a committee etc. who disagree with the majority.