"minority" in seven languages
Meaningminority
Spanish
/minoˈɾia/
fem.learned
Built on the learned stem minor-, not on inherited menor.
French
/minɔʁite/
fem.learned
Also 'being under age': pendant sa minorité.
Italian
/minoˈrantsa/
fem.learned
Built in Italian on minore 'smaller'.
Portuguese
/minoˈɾiɐ/
fem.learned
Romanian
/minoriˈtate/
fem.learned
Catalan
/minuˈɾiə/
fem.learned
English
/maɪˈnɔɹəti/
from Latin/French · Middle French minorité (Medieval Latin MINŌRITĀS)
The Latin ancestor
MINŌREM‘smaller, lesser (comparative of PARVUS)’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
The mirror of majority: each language builds it exactly as it built its word for majority (mayoría, majorité, maggioranza), but on the Latin-looking stem minor- rather than Spanish inherited menor.
English relatives: minor, minus, minimum, minute
Learn it
In a sentence
- esSon una minoría en el país.
- frIls forment une minorité dans le pays.
- itSono una minoranza nel paese.
- ptEles são uma minoria no país.
- roSunt o minoritate în țară.
- caSón una minoria al país.
- enThey are a minority in the country.