minority

la minoría

minoritario

USAGE NOTE

The word "minority" may be used with a singular or plural form of the verb in English.

minority(

may

nor

)

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).

noun

1. (smaller part)

a. la minoría

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

Only a small minority share his views.Los que comparten sus opiniones son una pequeña minoría.

2. (ethnic or religious group)

a. la minoría

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

Minorities are underrepresented in this profession.Las minorías están poco representadas en esta profesión.

3. (legal)

a. la minoría de edad

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

During the heir's minority, the crown was entrusted to his uncle.Durante la minoría de edad del heredero, la corona fue encomendada a su tío.

4. (politics)

Regionalism used in the United States

(United States)

a. la oposición

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

The Republicans represent a minority in the new government.Los republicanos constituyen la oposición en el nuevo gobierno.

An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g. the big dog).

adjective

5. (that constitutes a minority)

a. minoritario (group, interest, shareholder)

After the election, he found himself at the head of a minority government.Después de las elecciones, se encontró a la cabeza de un gobierno minoritario.

minority

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).

Noun

1. (of total number)

a. la minoría

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

to be in a or the minorityser minoría

2. (finance)

minority interestparticipación minoritaria

minority opinionopinión de la minoría

minority party/governmentpartido m/gobierno minoritario

3. (law)

a. la minoría de edad

(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(F)

(age)

minority [maɪˈnɒrɪtɪ]

noun

1 (small number) minoría (f)

only a small minority of children contract the disease solo una pequeña minoría de niños contraen la enfermedad; to be in a or the minority ser minoría; estar en minoría

people who think that are in a minority artists are in a tiny minority in this country women who wear size 9 shoes are in a minority

you're in a minority of one, there! ¡te has quedado más solo que la una!

I'm afraid you're in a minority of one. nobody else wants to go skating

2 (community) minoría (f)

ethnic minority minoría (f) étnica

3 (Jur) (age) minoría (f) de edad

adjective

1 [+group, interest, view, government] minoritario

minority language lengua (f) minoritaria; minority rights (Pol) derechos (m) de las minorías

2 (Economics)

minority interest minority stake participación (f) minoritaria

minority shareholder accionista (m) minoritario; minority shareholding accionado (m) minoritario

3 (US) (Pol)

Minority Leader líder (m) de la oposición; House Minority Leader líder (m) de la oposición del Congreso; Senate Minority Leader líder (m) de la oposición del Senado

Singular or plural verb?

When minoría is the subject of a verb, the verb can be in the singular or the plural, depending on the context:

Put the verb in the singular if minority is seen as a unit rather than a collection of individuals:

A minority should always be respected, however small it may be Una minoría, aunque sea pequeña, debe ser respetada siempre

If la minoría is seen as a collection of individuals, particularly when it is followed by de + plural noun, the plural form of the verb is more common than the singular, though both are possible:

A minority of agitators want to introduce anarchy Una minoría de agitadores quieren or quiere traer la anarquía

The plural form must be used when la minoría or la minoría de + plural noun is followed by ser or estar + plural complement:

Only a minority of the demonstrators were students Solo una minoría de los manifestantes eran estudiantes

minority

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Examples