minority

minority
   those of a different colour or religion from the majority of the population
   Not those who choose to go hunting with dogs or lose an election:
    . . . the minorities ran the risk of losing others' sympathy and support. (Jennings, 1965)
   And in several evasive phrases:
    'Minority ethnic' — meaning black, Asian or Chinese — was adopted [by the London Metropolitan Police] because 'ethnic minority' was deemed too vague because it includes Irish and Mediterranean peoples. {Sunday Telegraph, 6 June 1999)
    I used to be coloured, right? Then I was a negro. And then I turned into an Afro-American. After that I was just a member of a Minority Group. Now, I'm black. (Theroux, 1982)
    What's the deal here — you don't let minority-type people sit at your front booths? (Mclnerney, 1992, writing of seating in a restaurant)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • Minority — may refer to: Contents 1 Law 2 Politics 3 Anthropology and language 4 Economy 5 Sociology …   Wikipedia

  • minority — mi·nor·i·ty n pl ties 1 a: the period before attainment of majority b: the state of being a minor 2: the smaller of two groups constituting a whole: as a: a group (as in a legislative body) having less than the number of votes necessary for… …   Law dictionary

  • minority — 1. Minority has meanings at the other end of the scale of magnitude from majority, and is likewise treated as a singular noun except when used with of and a plural noun, in which case it too is plural: • Only a minority of Germans (around a third …   Modern English usage

  • minority — mi‧nor‧i‧ty I added this because majority is in. [maɪˈnɒrti ǁ mˈnɔːr , ˈnɑːr ] noun [singular] less than half of the people or things in a particular group: minority of • He insists that only a minority of workers at the factory want the union …   Financial and business terms

  • Minority — Single par Green Day extrait de l’album Warning: Sortie 31 octobre 2000 Enregistrement 2000 Durée 2:49 Genre Punk rock Format …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Minority — Mi*nor i*ty, n.; pl. {Minorities}. [Cf. F. minorit[ e]. See {Minor}, a. & n.] [1913 Webster] 1. The state of being a minor, or under age. [1913 Webster] 2. State of being less or small. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster] 3. The smaller number;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Minority — «Minority» Sencillo de Green Day del álbum Warning: Formato CD Grabación 2000 Género(s) Pop punk Duración 2:49 …   Wikipedia Español

  • minority — (n.) 1530s, condition of being smaller, from M.Fr. minorité (15c.), or directly from M.L. minoritatem (nom. minoritas), from L. minor (see MINOR (Cf. minor) (adj.)). Meaning state of being under legal age is from 1540s; that of smaller number or… …   Etymology dictionary

  • minority — *infancy, nonage Antonyms: majority …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • minority — ► NOUN (pl. minorities) 1) the smaller number or part; a number or part representing less than half of the whole. 2) a relatively small group of people differing from the majority in race, religion, language, etc. 3) the state or period of being… …   English terms dictionary

  • minority — [mī nôr′ə tē, minôr′ə tē; mīnär′ə tē, minär′ə tē] n. pl. minorities [ML minoritas < L minor,MINOR] 1. the lesser part or smaller number; less than half of a total 2. a group, party, or faction with a smaller number of votes or adherents than… …   English World dictionary

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