menor

Menor is a term used in several Romance languages, most notably Spanish and Portuguese, with core senses of "smaller" or "younger," and in legal and social contexts, "a minor" (a person under the age of majority). The word derives from Latin minor, meaning "smaller."

In Spanish, menor functions as both adjective and noun. As an adjective, it compares two or more items or ages: la casa menor, el hermano menor. It can also appear in phrases such as menor de edad to designate someone under the age of majority. As a noun, el menor or la menor can refer to a younger person, and in plural menores can mean minors or younger people in general.

In Portuguese, menor has parallel uses: as an adjective it means smaller or younger, as in casa menor or irmão menor. The phrase menor de idade denotes someone under the age of majority; os menores can refer to minors or younger people. The form is generally invariable for gender, with menores serving as the plural.

Outside everyday speech, menor appears in mathematical and logical contexts to denote the lesser or minimal element in a set, though many technical contexts prefer termos like mínimo or menos, depending on the language. In legal and social policy language, the term is central to discussions about the rights and protections afforded to individuals below the age of majority, and terminology may vary by country.

Aside from linguistic use, menor also appears as a surname in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions and may occur in historical or cultural references. The word thus functions across several domains as a versatile descriptor of relative size or age.