1
: inferior in importance, size, or degree : comparatively unimportant
a minor artist
2
: not having reached majority (see majority sense 2)
He is the father of minor children.
3
a
: having half steps between the second and third, the fifth and sixth, and sometimes the seventh and eighth degrees
minor scale
b
: based on a minor scale
minor key
c
: less by a semitone than the corresponding major interval
minor third
d
: having a minor third above the root
minor triad
4
: not serious or involving risk to life
minor illness
5
: of or relating to an academic subject requiring fewer courses than a major
his minor subjects for his M.A. were plant ecology and entomology—
Current Biography
Current Biography1
: a person who is not yet old enough to have the rights of an adult
2
: a minor musical interval, scale, key, or mode
3
a
: a minor academic subject
b
: a student taking a specified minor
4
: a determinant or matrix obtained from a given determinant or matrix by eliminating the row and column in which a given element lies
5
minors plural
: minor league baseball
—used with the
Synonyms
Examples of minor in a Sentence
Adjective
Her role in the project was minor.
I'm not worried about minor details.
The grant covered only a minor part of the cost.
The delay will be minor.
He suffered a minor heart attack.
Noun
families with children who are still minors
The nightclub was shut down for selling alcohol to a minor.
She majored in chemistry with a minor in biology.
Recent Examples on the WebSiddhant Adlakha, Variety, 30 Apr. 2024
The 24-year-old NFL star sustained a ‘minor wound’ in an incident that left nine other people injured in Sanford, Florida, on April 27, his team confirmed in a statement.
—Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 29 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for minor 
Adjective
Through claustrophobic shots of their minor haul over the years — from ancient pottery to various metallic trinkets uncovered from the dirt — the specter of the hunt for gold continues to linger.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 30 Apr. 2024
The 24-year-old NFL star sustained a ‘minor wound’ in an incident that left nine other people injured in Sanford, Florida, on April 27, his team confirmed in a statement.
—Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 29 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for minor
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'minor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to minor
Dictionary Entries Near minor
Cite this Entry
“Minor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minor. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
minor
1 of 2 adjective
mi·nor
ˈmī-nər 
1
: less in size, importance, or value
a minor poet
a minor injury
2
: not having reached the age to have full civil rights
3
a
: relating to or being a musical scale in which the third tone is lowered a half step
b
: based on a minor scale
minor key
minor
2 of 2 noun
: a person who has not reached the age to have full civil rights
Medical Definition
minor
2 of 2 noun
: a person of either sex under the age of legal qualification for adult rights and responsibilities that has traditionally been 21 in the United States but is now 18 in many states or sometimes less under certain circumstances (as marriage or pregnancy)
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