minor
minor — adjective
1. limited in how important, serious, or large something is, so that it does not ma
limited in how important, serious, or large something is, so that it does not make much difference or cause big problems
Daichi suffered only minor injuries when his bicycle hit the car.
collocation: minor injuries
The shop made a few minor changes to the product design after customer complaints.
collocation: minor changes
Rachid played a minor part in the school play but did his best.
At first it seemed like a minor problem, but it grew worse overnight.
These are minor details that we can fix later before the deadline.
- slight
emphasises very small degree rather than comparative unimportance; 'a slight delay' vs 'a minor delay'
- trivial
stronger in dismissing something as unimportant; more informal and negative in tone
- insignificant
focuses on having no meaningful effect; more formal than 'minor'
- major
direct opposite in degree or importance
- significant
implies something matters and should not be ignored
用法筆記
Frequently modifies nouns for problems, injuries, or changes. Does not apply to matters of life safety or large-scale impact — use 'major' for the opposite.
常見錯誤
2. describing a musical key, scale, or chord that produces a sound often felt to be
describing a musical key, scale, or chord that produces a sound often felt to be sad, dark, or serious — contrasted with major keys that sound brighter
The song starts in a minor key before shifting to a happier melody.
Élise learned to play a minor scale on the piano for her exam.
collocation: minor scale
This piece is written in B minor, which gives it a mournful atmosphere.
The orchestra played a slow minor chord that echoed through the hall.
- major
the brighter-sounding key and scale system; the direct musical opposite
用法筆記
Commonly follows the key name, e.g. 'C minor', 'A minor'. Use 'major' for the brighter counterpart. This sense only applies to music — do not use it to describe mood outside of musical contexts.
3. relating to the lower-level professional sports leagues where players train and
relating to the lower-level professional sports leagues where players train and gain experience before possibly moving up to the top league
Ishaan spent three years on a minor league baseball team before being promoted.
Minor league hockey games in this town draw around two thousand fans.
collocation: minor league hockey / baseball
The young pitcher signed a contract with a minor league club in Florida.
Many professional players start their careers in the minor league system.
- major league
the top-level professional league; the direct opposite
用法筆記
Predominantly used in American English for baseball and ice hockey. The noun form 'the minors' (plural) is very common as a shorthand reference.
4. relating to a secondary subject that a university student studies with fewer cou
relating to a secondary subject that a university student studies with fewer courses than their main subject, which is called the major
Tuan chose to study business as his major and a minor subject in Japanese.
collocation: minor subject
Sivan is taking minor courses in art history alongside her engineering degree.
collocation: minor courses
Students must declare their major and minor fields by the end of their second year.
A minor program usually requires about half the credits of a major program.
- secondary subject
descriptive but less compact than 'minor'; used mainly in formal university documents
- major
the main subject of study; requires more courses
用法筆記
Almost always paired with 'major' in academic contexts. Used primarily in North American universities; UK universities more commonly use terms like 'joint honours' or 'subsidiary subject.'
常見錯誤
minor — noun
1. someone who has not yet reached the legal age of adulthood and therefore cannot
someone who has not yet reached the legal age of adulthood and therefore cannot vote, sign contracts, or be held fully responsible for their actions in the same way adults can
The law forbids selling alcohol to any minor under the age of eighteen.
legal context: selling to a minor
Tyler, still a minor at seventeen, needed a parent's permission to travel abroad.
The court appointed a guardian to represent the minor in the legal case.
Banks usually require a parent to co-sign any account opened by a minor.
用法筆記
A legal term with a precise age cutoff that varies by country (usually 18). In everyday conversation, 'child' or 'teenager' is more common; 'minor' is formal and legal.
常見錯誤
2. the set of professional sports leagues, especially in baseball, that operate at
the set of professional sports leagues, especially in baseball, that operate at a level below the top national league and serve as a training ground for players
Heloísa played in the minors for four years before joining the national team.
idiomatic: play in the minors
Scouts from the major leagues often watch games in the minors for new talent.
The pitcher was sent back to the minors to work on his throwing technique.
Minor league attendance grew last year as fans enjoyed cheaper tickets.
- farm system
informal term emphasising the development role; 'the farm system' is common in baseball talk
- major league
the top-level professional league
用法筆記
Usually appears in the plural form 'the minors.' When used as a countable noun, 'a minor' can refer to a specific lower-level league or a team in that league.
3. a secondary subject that a university student studies in fewer courses than thei
a secondary subject that a university student studies in fewer courses than their main subject, and which is recorded on their degree at graduation
Rachel declared a minor in Spanish alongside her major in nursing.
collocation: declare a minor / minor in [subject]
His minor in computer science helped him find a job in the tech industry.
collocation: minor in [subject]
Students can often complete a minor without adding extra time to their degree.
Zayd chose environmental studies as his minor because he cared about climate issues.
- secondary concentration
formal academic terminology; less common in everyday student speech
- major
the primary area of study requiring the most courses
用法筆記
Typically follows the pattern 'a minor in [subject]' or 'declare a minor.' Many US universities require a minimum number of credit hours for a minor, usually 15-24 credits.
常見錯誤
minor — verb
1. to choose and study a particular subject at university as your second area of fo
to choose and study a particular subject at university as your second area of focus, taking fewer classes in it than in your main subject (your major)
Jude decided to minor in music while studying for a business degree.
grammar: minor in [subject]
Christopher minored in economics and found the classes surprisingly useful.
past tense: minored in
You can minor in almost any subject that your university offers as a program.
Daichi is planning to minor in Japanese literature next semester.
- specialise in
broader term; not restricted to North American university systems and can refer to any depth of study
- major in
to study something as your primary subject with more courses
文法句型
minor in + subject
用法筆記
Always followed by 'in' + the name of the subject. Only used in North American university systems. For other systems, use 'take subsidiary courses in' or 'do a minor in.'