minor

adjective

1. 1

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option, particularly

   of minor importance

   a minor poet

   Here we se thre proposicions, or sentences, whereof the first is called Maior, that is to saie, the proposicion at large. the seconde is called Minor, that is to saie, the seuerall proposicion. the thirde is called conclusio.

   It is my intention to wait a few years before I publish any minor poems.

2. 2

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Underage, not having reached legal majority.

   The defendant resides at 123 Fake Street with his partner and two minor children.

3. 3

   figurativeLesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Not serious, not involving risk of death, permanent injury, dangerous surgery, or extended hospitalization.

   She suffered a minor injury.

   There was minor bruising.

   He has a minor case of puppy love.

   We now know on authority of Dr. Briggs that every case of vaccination is "a minor case of smallpox," and that every such case of smallpox "should be carefully watched until all danger is passed".

4. 4

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Smaller by a diatonic semitone than the equivalent major interval.

   The musical interval between C and E♭ is a minor third while C to E is a major third.

   ...a certaine Fraction, which may be the difference betwixt a Tone major and a Tone minor, which we nominate a Schism...

5. 5

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Incorporating a minor third interval above the (in scales) tonic or (in chords) root note, (also figurative) tending to produce a dark, discordant, sad, or pensive effect.

   Beethoven's melancholy Moonlight Sonata is scored in the key of C# minor, using the diatonic scale C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, and B, but modulates throughout.

   The minor mode of D is tender.

   The first chorus: ‘Behold the Lamb of God’, with its dark minor chords, brings threatening clouds over us.

   Modern harmonists are unwilling to acknowledge that the minor triad is less consonant than the major.

6. 6

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Of or related to a minor, a secondary area of undergraduate study.

   The minor requirements only involve about 20 hours of classes.

7. 7

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Of or related to a minor, a determinate obtained by deleting one or more rows and columns from a matrix.

8. 8

   Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Acting as the subject of the second premise of a categorical syllogism, which then also acts as the subject of its conclusion.

   The minor term of John Stuart Mill's famous syllogism—usually mistakenly credited to Aristotle—is Socrates; the major term is mortal.

9. 9

   datedLesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option The younger of two pupils (or the middle of three) with the same surname.

   He whipt her with a foxes taile, Barnes minor,

   Espionage... was a field that had sophisticated itself since the distant time when Patullo Minor... had enthralled his school-fellows with his hazardous escapades.

10. 10

    historicalLesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Of or related to the relationship between the longa and the breve in a score.

    The minor perfect mode was marked by one single line which crossed three spaces, and the longue was equal to three breves... The minor imperfect mode was marked by a line which crossed two spaces only, and its longue was equal only to two breves.

11. 11

    historicalLesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Having semibreves twice as long as a minim.

    Josquin works in minor prolation—that is, works in which the signature indicates that a semibreve is equal to two minims, often have a 3 as a medial signature for a few measures, indicating that until the 3 is canceled by the reappearance of a sign for minor prolation, there are to be 3 minims to a semibreve.

12. 12

    obsoleteLesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Of or related to a minority party.

    ...that the Minor part of the Lords might joyn with the Major part of the House of Commons...

    In every other, the minor will be preferred by me to the major vote.

13. 13

    Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Having little worth or ability; paltry; mean.

    And whenever Dre tore her off some money, she always split it up between his kids. She would've felt real minor taking all his cash and spending it on herself, knowing how needy his babies were.

14. 14

    Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option Including both directed and undirected edges.

noun

1. 1

   A child, a person who has not reached the age of majority, consent, etc. and is legally subject to fewer responsibilities and less accountability and entitled to fewer legal rights and privileges.

   No, he can't get a mortgage or sell the house. He's still a minor. For the most part, he can't sign a legally binding contract.

   He was only a minor when he succeeded his father to the barony.

   King Richard the second... for the first tenne yeares of his raigne, was a Minor.

2. 2

   A lesser person or thing, a person, group, or thing of minor rank or in the minor leagues.

   He plays in the minors.

   She hasn't won a minor since the Sichuan Open.

   The play is considered one of his minors.

   Mr Gloss'em, who is a shining character in the theatrical world, at least among the minors [minor theaters] of the metropolis.

3. 3

   A formally recognized secondary area of undergraduate study, requiring fewer course credits than the equivalent major.

   I got a minor in English Lit.

4. 4

   A person who is completing or has completed such a course of study.

   I became an English minor.

5. 5

   A determinant of a square matrix obtained by deleting one or more rows and columns.

   ...the whole of a system of rth minors being zero...

   Let A be a non-zero matrix of rank r over a field. Then A has a non-zero r-minor and all s-minors of A are zero for s > r.

6. 6

   Synonym of behind: a one-point kick.

   Brown from a mark on the magazine wing put up the first minor.

7. 7

   Any of various noctuid moths in Europe and Asia, chiefly in the Oligia and Mesoligia genera.

8. 8

   A leaf-cutter worker ant intermediate in size between a minim and a media.

9. 9

   Changes rung on six bells.

10. 10

    obsoleteAn adolescent, a person above the legal age of puberty but below the age of majority.

11. 11

    obsoleteSynonym of subtrahend, the amount subtracted from a number.

12. 12

    obsoleteThe younger brother of a pupil.

    Let my minor pass, you fellows!... Here, Chudleigh, just make room there.

13. 13

    Variant of minor intervalEllipsis of minor interval, minor scale, minor mode, minor key, minor chord, or minor triad.

14. 14

    Variant of MinorAlternative letter-case form of Minor: a Franciscan friar, a Clarist nun.

    He... to þe menours ordre went

15. 15

    Variant of minor term or minor premiseEllipsis of minor term or minor premise.

16. 16

    Variant of minor leagueEllipsis of minor league (“the lower level of teams”).

    It is certain that the major leagues must depend upon the minors for their recruits.

17. 17

    Variant of minor penaltyEllipsis of minor penalty (“a penalty requiring a player to leave the ice for 2 minutes unless the opposing team scores”).

    Penalties... First Period... all minors.

18. 18

    Variant of minor pointhistoricalEllipsis of minor point (“a lesser score formerly gained by certain actions”).

    At half-time the score was—one goal, three tries, and four minors.

19. 19

    Variant of minor suitEllipsis of minor suit, a card of a minor suit.

    Many find it easier to remember 20 for Minors, 30 for Majors and 35 for No Trump.

20. 20

    Variant of graph minorShort for graph minor.

verb

1. 1

   Used in a phrasal verb: minor in.

Forms

plural

minors

comparative

more minor

superlative

most minor

past tense

minored

past participle

minored

present participle

minoring

third person singular

minors