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 Pullein2
: the group or political party having the smaller number of votes
the Democratic/Republican minority in the Senate
—often used before another nouna 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
Isiah Thomas, quoted in Newsweeka minority student
a minority-owned business
—often used in pluralDoctors 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
Indeed, 3 out of 4 minority sellers said their agents recommended a private listing, as opposed to just 1 in 4 white sellers.
—Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Enough Republicans in the Senate are willing to join with the minority Democrats to pass legislation giving Congress a say on tariffs.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
United have pursued an aggressive strategy of cost-cutting under the minority ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has cut jobs from the club, as well as raising ticket prices at Old Trafford, clamping down on staff expenses and cancelling the annual staff Christmas party.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Mattel also reported data about its board of directors’ demographics and stressed changes to the board in recent years, citing figures that shows 30 percent of nominees were minorities.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for minority
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Enough Republicans in the Senate are willing to join with the minority Democrats to pass legislation giving Congress a say on tariffs.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
United have pursued an aggressive strategy of cost-cutting under the minority ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has cut jobs from the club, as well as raising ticket prices at Old Trafford, clamping down on staff expenses and cancelling the annual staff Christmas party.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Mattel also reported data about its board of directors’ demographics and stressed changes to the board in recent years, citing figures that shows 30 percent of nominees were minorities.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for minority
Cite this Entry
“Minority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minority. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share