1 [usu.sing] [with.sop] the smaller number or part of a group; less than half （一群中的）较少数部份，较小部份；少于半数: Only a minority of teenagers become/becomes involved in crime. 青少年当中，只有一小部份参与犯罪。 [OPP] majority 反义词为majority

2 a small group of people who are of a different race or religion to most of the people in the community or country where they live 少数民族；少数信仰不同的人士: Schools in Britain need to do more to help children of ethnic/racial minorities. 英国的学校需要更多地帮助少数民族儿童。