| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
minority (maɪˈnɒrɪtɪ, mɪ-) ![]() | |
| —n , pl -ties | |
| 1. | the smaller in number of two parts, factions, or groups |
| 2. | a group that is different racially, politically, etc, from a larger group of which it is a part |
| 3. | a. the state of being a minor |
| b. Compare majority the period during which a person is below legal age | |
| 4. | (modifier) relating to or being a minority: a minority interest; a minority opinion |
| [C16: from Medieval Latin minōritās, from Latin | |
minority
a culturally, ethnically, or racially distinct group that coexists with but is subordinate to a more dominant group. As the term is used in the social sciences, this subordinancy is the chief defining characteristic of a minority group. As such, minority status does not necessarily correlate to population. In some cases one or more so-called minority groups may have a population many times the size of the dominating group, as was the case in South Africa under apartheid (c. 1950-91).
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