minority
B2Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
The smaller number or part, especially a number or part representing less than half of the whole.
A relatively small group of people differing from the larger group in race, religion, language, political opinion, or other characteristic; also, the state or period of being under the legal age of adulthood.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is inherently relational, defined by its contrast to a 'majority'. It can refer to numerical, social, or political disadvantage. When referring to social groups, it often implies a degree of marginalisation or lesser power, not just smaller numbers.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. In legal contexts, 'to be in/to reach one's majority' (become an adult) is more common in UK legal phrasing, with 'minority' as its antonym.
Connotations
Similar strong sociopolitical connotations in both dialects. In the US, the term is heavily used in demographic and civil rights discourse (e.g., 'minority-majority districts').
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English due to its prominent role in discussions of race, ethnicity, and civil rights.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be/represent/form/constitute a minoritybe in the/a minoritya minority of + PLURAL NOUNprotect/serve/represent a minorityVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A minority of one”
- “A tyranny of the minority”
- “To be in a minority of one (to be the only person holding a particular opinion)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to shareholders owning less than 50% of a company's shares ('minority shareholder/investor/interest').
Academic
Used in sociology, politics, law, and demographics to analyse power structures, discrimination, and representation.
Everyday
Common in news and discussions about race, culture, politics (e.g., 'the party only has a minority in parliament').
Technical
In statistics, a subset of a population; in law, the period before reaching the age of majority (usually 18).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The party was minorityed in the final vote.
- (Note: 'minority' as a verb is extremely rare and non-standard in modern use.)
American English
- (Not used as a standard verb in AmE.)
adverb
British English
- (Not used as a standard adverb.)
American English
- (Not used as a standard adverb.)
adjective
British English
- He holds a minority stake in the firm.
- A minority government was formed after the election.
American English
- She is a minority shareholder.
- They represent minority interests in Congress.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Only a minority of the class wanted to play football.
- Women are not a minority in the world.
- The new law aims to protect the rights of ethnic minorities.
- We were in the minority, so our idea wasn't chosen.
- The party formed a minority government after failing to win a majority of seats.
- A significant minority of respondents expressed strong dissatisfaction with the policy.
- The study critiques how minority languages are marginalised by educational policies.
- As a minority shareholder, he had limited influence over the corporate strategy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MINOR' + 'ITY'. A MINOR part of something is smaller, so a MINORITY is the smaller group.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A BODY (where the minority can be seen as a smaller, sometimes neglected limb). POWER IS UP / LACK OF POWER IS DOWN (minority groups are often in a lower-power position).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'меньшинство' only in the numerical sense. The English term has stronger sociopolitical weight. The legal sense ('несовершеннолетие') is less common in everyday English.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'minority' as a countable noun without an article (e.g., 'She is part of minority' -> '...part of a minority'). Confusing 'minority' (smaller part) with 'majority' (larger part).
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, what does 'minority interest' typically refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, by definition, a minority is the smaller part, so it must be less than half. If a group has more than 50%, it is the majority.
The term itself is a standard neutral descriptor in sociopolitical contexts. However, it can be reductive if it defines a person solely by their group's statistical status. Context and preference matter; some prefer terms like 'people of colour', 'marginalised communities', or specific ethnic names.
'Ethnic minority' focuses on shared culture, language, or nationality. 'Racial minority' focuses on perceived physical or biological characteristics. The terms often overlap and their use depends on context and regional discourse (e.g., 'racial minority' is more common in the US).
A government formed by a political party or coalition that does not have an absolute majority (more than half) of seats in the parliament. It must often negotiate with other parties to pass laws.
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