MINOR, a Latin term, literally denoting left; used in opposition to major, greater.

in Law, denotes a person under age; or who, by the laws of the country, is not yet arrived at the power of administering his own affairs, or the possession of his estate. Among us, a person is a minor till the age of twenty-one, before which time his acts are invalid. See AGE, and INFANT.

It is a maxim in the common law, that in the king there is no minority, and therefore he hath no legal guardian; and his royal grants and acts to acts of parliament are good, though he has not in his natural capacity attained the legal age of twenty-one. It is also provided by the custom and law of parliament, that no one shall sit or vote in either house, unless he be twenty-one years of age. This is likewise expressly declared by stat. 7. and 8 Will. III. cap. 25. with regard to the house of commons.

in Logic, is the second proposition of a formal or regular syllogism, called also the assumption.

in Music, is applied to certain concords, which differ from or are lower than others of the same denomination by a lesser semitone or four commas.—Thus we say, a third minor, or lesser third, or a sixth major and minor. Concords that admit of major and minor, i.e. greater and less, are said to be imperfect concords.