il minore
young · minor
Si dice di qualcuno che ha meno anni rispetto a un altro oppure di una persona che non ha ancora raggiunto l'età adulta per la legge.
Definition & meaning
Minore means smaller, lesser, or lower in size, amount, importance, or degree. It can also mean younger, especially when comparing siblings.
As a noun, un minore means a minor: a person who has not reached the legal age of adulthood.
In music, it means minor, as in a minor key.
Grammar & Word origin
Minore is an adjective with the same singular form for masculine and feminine nouns; its plural is minori. It can also be used as a masculine noun.
It comes from Latin minor, meaning “smaller” or “younger.” It is an irregular comparative of piccolo (“small”) and is generally not preceded by più .
Synonyms & antonyms
- più piccolo — “smaller”; often more concrete and conversational.
- inferiore — “lower” or “inferior”; often suggests a lower level or position.
- maggiore — “greater,” “larger,” or “older”; the main opposite of minore.
- maggiorenne — “of legal age”; the opposite of minore in the legal sense.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Il fratello minore gioca nel giardino.adjective
The younger brother plays in the garden.
I minori devono essere accompagnati da un adulto al cinema.noun
Minors must be accompanied by an adult to the cinema.
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