- [singular + singular or plural verb] the smaller part of a group; less than half of the people or things in a large group
- Only a small minority of students is/are interested in politics these days.
- Only a tiny minority of products is/are affected.
- For a minority, the decision was a disappointment.
- That's very much a minority view.
- Minority interest groups have gained disproportionate influence.
- among a/the minority You are definitely among the minority.
- minority shareholders in the bank
- to have a minority stake in a company
Extra ExamplesTopics Social issuesb2- a sizeable minority of the population
- the view of a small but vocal minority
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- large
- significant
- sizeable
- …
- belong to
- discriminate against
- target
- …
- opinion
- view
- rights
- …
- among a/the minority
- from a/the minority
- in a/the minority
- …
- only a minority
- [countable] a small group within a community or country that is different because of race, religion, language, etc.
- the rights of ethnic/racial minorities
- There is a large German-speaking minority in the east of the country.
- persecuted/oppressed minorities
- minority languages
- (North American English) minority neighborhoods (= where no or few white people live)
- minority groups/populations/leaders
Collocations RaceRaceRace and societysee also BAME, BME, ethnic minority, visible minority- fight for/struggle for/promote racial equality/civil rights/equal rights
- outlaw/end discrimination/segregation
- promote/embrace/celebrate/champion diversity/multiculturalism
- attack/criticize/oppose/reject multiculturalism
- bridge/break down/transcend cultural/racial barriers
- practise/promote (racial/religious) tolerance/integration
- exacerbate/widen/perpetuate/reinforce (racial/socio-economic) inequality
- conform to/challenge/violate (accepted/established/prevailing/dominant) social/cultural norms
- experience/encounter racism/discrimination/prejudice/anti-Semitism/Islamophobia
- face/suffer persecution/discrimination
- fear/escape from/flee (racial/political/religious) persecution
- denounce/condemn racism/hate/anti-Semitism/Islamophobia
- challenge/confront racism/discrimination/prejudice
- combat/dismantle/eradicate/fight (blatant/overt/covert/subtle/institutional/systemic) racism
- perpetuate/defy (common/popular/traditional/negative) stereotypes
- entrench/perpetuate racism/racist attitudes
- reflect/reveal/show/have a racial/cultural bias
- constitute/be a form of racial/race discrimination
- discriminate/be prejudiced/be biased against minority groups/minorities/people of colour
Extra ExamplesTopics People in societyb2- people from ethnic minorities
- Many religious minorities fear their beliefs will be ignored.
- We welcome applicants from minority groups.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- large
- significant
- sizeable
- …
- belong to
- discriminate against
- target
- …
- opinion
- view
- rights
- …
- among a/the minority
- from a/the minority
- in a/the minority
- …
- only a minority
- [uncountable] (law) the state of being under the age at which you are legally an adult
- When his minority ended he had to fight to reclaim his property.
Word Originlate 15th cent. (in sense (3)): from French minorité or medieval Latin minoritas, from Latin minor ‘smaller’.
Idioms
See minority in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee minority in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe in a/the minority
- to form less than half of a large group
- Men are in the minority in this profession.
- We are in the minority on this issue.
be in a minority of one
- (often humorous) to be the only person to have a particular opinion or to vote a particular wayTopics Opinion and argumentc2
Check pronunciation:
minority