minority
UK[maɪˈnɒrɪti]US[maɪˈnɔːrɪti]
n
the smaller number or part; a number or amount that is less than half of a total.
n
a relatively small group of people differing from the larger group in race, religion, ethnicity, or other characteristics.
n
the state or period of being under the legal age of full adulthood.
Morpheme Breakdown
minor
ity
minor
small, lesser
ity
state or quality
Etymology
the word "minority" has a clear lineage from latin. its core, the comparative adjective 'minor' (smaller, less), is derived from the proto-indo-european root mei-, meaning "small." the suffix '-ity', from latin '-itas', denotes a state or condition. thus, the literal construction "state of being smaller" evolved logically into its primary modern meaning referring to the smaller part of a whole. this concept was later extended in social contexts to describe groups smaller in number within a population and in legal contexts to denote the condition of being under the age of majority.
Analysis
Structure: minor (small, lesser) + ity (state or quality)
minor (from latin 'minor', meaning "smaller, less, younger"; comparative of 'parvus' meaning "small". functions as the core adjective root.) + ity (from latin '-itatem', a suffix forming nouns indicating a state or condition. functions as a noun-forming suffix.)
Examples
women were in the minority at the engineering conference.
the new law aims to protect the rights of ethnic and religious minorities.
she inherited the estate while still in her minority.