minority

/maɪˈnɒrəti/ (bre, ipa) · /maɪˈnɔːrəti/ (ame, ipa) · /mə-ˈnȯr-ə-tē mī-, -ˈnär-/ (ame, mw)

minority — 名詞

1. the numerically smaller portion of a group — for instance, when under half the m

1.名詞B1
釋義

少數

總體中數量較少的部分

the numerically smaller portion of a group — for instance, when under half the members share a view or belong to a certain category

例句

Only a minority of students voted to extend the school day.

只有少數學生投票贊成延長上課時間。

a minority of + plural noun for 'less than half'

Girls currently make up a small minority of the engineering students at the university.

目前該大學的工程科系學生中，女生只佔極少數。

make up a minority of + noun

同義詞
  • smaller portion

    more neutral; used for both countable and uncountable quantities

  • handful

    informal; suggests a very small number

  • less than half

    descriptive phrase that avoids the noun form

反義詞
  • majority

    direct opposite; the larger part or number

  • most

    informal equivalent of the majority

文法句型

a minority of + noun

be in the minority

常見錯誤

❌A minority of the cake was eaten.
✅A minority of voters supported the change.
💡minority refers to people or countable items within a group, not portions of a mass substance.
❌The minority of students disagree.
✅A minority of students disagree.
💡use the indefinite article a when no specific minority group has been mentioned before.

2. a segment of a society whose race, religion, language, or culture sets them apar

2.名詞B1
釋義

少數族群

因種族、宗教等特徵而與主流不同的群體

a segment of a society whose race, religion, language, or culture sets them apart from the mainstream population — often resulting in unequal treatment or limited access to opportunities

例句

Taiwan's new employment programme offers training and job placements for ethnic minorities, including many Indigenous workers in rural towns.

臺灣的新就業計畫為少數族群提供培訓和工作媒合，包括許多偏鄉的原住民勞工。

ethnic minorities — most common compound noun

Adisa joined a student group that supports minority voices on campus.

Adisa 加入了一個在校園裡支持少數族群發聲的學生團體。

minority + noun as modifier

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

ethnic/racial/religious + minority

minority + group/community

用法筆記

In Taiwan, this sense often appears in phrases like 族群 (zúqún) or 少數族群 (shǎoshù zúqún). When referring to individuals, 'person of minority background' or 'member of a minority group' sounds more natural than calling someone 'a minority.'

常見錯誤

❌She is a minority.
✅She belongs to an ethnic minority group.
💡referring to a person as 'a minority' can sound impersonal; use a fuller phrase instead.

3. the legal condition or time during which a person is too young to have the full

3.名詞C1
釋義

未成年

未達法定成年年齡的狀態

the legal condition or time during which a person is too young to have the full rights and responsibilities of an adult, such as voting or signing contracts

例句

Christopher managed his daughter's inheritance through a court-approved trust during her minority, as required by Ontario law.

Christopher 依照安大略省法律，透過法院核准的信託基金在女兒未成年期間管理她的遺產。

during + possessive + minority

Japanese law says minority ends at eighteen, when a person can sign a lease alone.

日本法規定未成年狀態於十八歲結束，屆時一個人可以獨自簽訂租約。

period of minority

同義詞
  • underage

    everyday adjective for the same concept

  • nonage

    archaic legal term; rarely used today

反義詞
  • majority

    the legal age of adulthood

  • adulthood

    the state of being a grown-up with full rights

文法句型

during (someone's) minority

period of minority

用法筆記

This sense is almost exclusively used in formal legal or historical writing. In everyday conversation, speakers use 'being a minor' or 'being underage' instead.

常見錯誤

❌He is still in his minority.
✅He is still a minor.
💡the noun minority for underage status is rare in everyday speech; 'minor' or 'underage' is far more common.

4. a group, political party, or opinion that receives fewer votes than the oppositi

4.名詞B2
釋義

少數派

表決中得票較少的一方

a group, political party, or opinion that receives fewer votes than the opposition in an election or decision-making process

例句

The minority in Congress tried to block the bill through procedural delays.

國會中的少數派試圖透過程序性拖延來阻擋這項法案。

the minority — the losing party in a legislative body

Although the committee voted twelve to four, the minority filed a strong dissenting opinion.

雖然委員會以十二比四通過表決，但少數派提出了一份措辭強烈的反對意見書。

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

the minority + noun

be in the minority

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 refers to numbers alone ('a minority of the class'), while sense 4 specifically describes the losing side in a vote or election where a decision is made by counting ballots.

常見錯誤

❌The minority in this classroom is three people.
✅The minority in Congress opposed the bill.
💡sense 4 is about voting bodies and political processes, not about general numerical comparisons.