minor

The word “minor” means lesser in size, seriousness, or importance compared with something else. In plain terms, smaller or less serious, a person under the legal adult age, or a secondary field of academic study.

“Minor” is pronounced MEYE-nuh (/ˈmaɪ.nəɹ/ in IPA).

Here is “minor” used in a sentence: “It was only a minor injury, so she kept playing.”

Words with a similar meaning to “minor” include insignificant and Thesaurus:small.

The opposite of “minor” — its antonyms — are major and antonym(s) of.

Depending on how it is used, “minor” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.

The word “minor” comes from Latin. From Latin minor, "lesser" or "younger," which also gives us "minister," "minify," and "minimum.".

“Minor” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

They sound alike but differ completely. Minor is mainly an adjective meaning lesser in size or importance, and a noun for a person under legal age. A miner is someone who works in a mine, extracting coal, ore, or minerals. Remember: a miner works underground; minor means small or less important.

They are opposites of degree. Minor means lesser in size, seriousness, or importance; major means greater or more significant. A minor injury is slight, while a major injury is severe. The pair appears throughout English — minor and major roads, keys, and repairs — always contrasting the smaller with the larger.

As a noun, yes — a minor is a person below the legal age of adulthood, often eighteen, though the exact age varies by country and context. This is separate from the adjective minor, meaning small or unimportant. Both come from the Latin for 'lesser', which links the ideas of youth and smallness.

For the adjective meaning small or unimportant, the opposite is major, or words like significant, serious, and important. For the noun meaning a young person, the opposite is an adult or a person of legal age. Context decides which sense, and therefore which antonym, applies.