minor

Minor is a term used in several distinct domains to denote smaller size, lesser scope, or younger age. The word derives from Latin minor, meaning "smaller." Its precise meaning depends on context.

In law and society, a minor is a person under the age of majority, which varies by jurisdiction but is commonly 18. Minors may have limited legal capacity and different rights and responsibilities than adults, such as restrictions on contractual authority, voting, or drinking. Many systems provide protections, parental involvement, or emancipation mechanisms for minors.

In education, a minor is a secondary field of study chosen in addition to a student’s major. A minor typically requires completing a smaller set of courses in another discipline to gain focused knowledge or a complementary skill set.

In music, minor refers to a family of scales and keys characterized by a specific pattern of intervals that yield a darker, often somber, sound relative to major keys. The relative minor is the minor scale associated with a given major key. Harmonic and melodic minor variations modify certain notes to achieve distinct melodic or harmonic effects.

In mathematics, a minor has several uses. A matrix minor is the determinant of a square submatrix extracted from a larger matrix. Minors are used in defining cofactors and in methods for calculating determinants. The concept extends to graph theory, where a graph minor is obtained by deleting or contracting edges and vertices.

In astronomy, a minor planet is a term for small Solar System bodies that are not comets, including most asteroids and dwarf planets. The designation helps categorize objects based on size and orbit.

Minor also appears as a surname or place name in some languages, and as a general descriptor in various technical terms.