minor

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Small or not very important.

   There were only a few minor problems with the plan.

2. 2
   adj

   Not serious or dangerous.

   She suffered only minor injuries in the accident.

3. 3
   noun

   A person who is below the legal age of an adult.

   It is illegal to sell alcohol to a minor.

4. 4
   adj

   Relating to a musical key or scale that often sounds sad.

   The song is written in a minor key.

Common collocations

• minor accident Adjective + noun
• minor burn Adjective + noun
• minor crime Adjective + noun
• minor fault Adjective + noun

From Middle English minor, menor, menour, etc., from Latin minor (“lesser; young; young person”) both directly and via Norman and Middle French menor, menour, etc. Doublet of minus but not mini-. Cognate with minister, minify, Minorca, Menshevik, and possibly minnow. Compare Latin minimum and minuō, Old High German minniro, Cornish minow.

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