2 syllables: Mi, nor. Stress on Mi.
MEYE-nur
/ˈmaɪnɚ/
Minor is pronounced MEYE-nur (/ˈmaɪnɚ/). It has two syllables (Mi-nor), with the stress on "Mi". Minor is an adjective describing something of lesser importance or size. It also refers to a secondary role or degree in law, music, or education. The term often contrasts with major to indicate lesser significance, priority, or extent, and it can function in contexts ranging from everyday conversation to formal classifications.
adjectiveMinor is an adjective describing something of lesser importance or size. It also refers to a secondary role or degree in law, music, or education. The term often contrasts with major to indicate lesser significance, priority, or extent, and it can function in contexts ranging from everyday conversation to formal classifications.
- You: You might say minor as /ˈmaɪnər/ with a long /aɪ/ in the first syllable even in US contexts. Fix: keep the first syllable short or mid-vowel depending on dialect. - You: You might over-articulate the second syllable into a full /ər/ or /ə/; fix by shortening to a light schwa or syllabic /ɚ/ in rhotic speech. - You: You might stall on consonants; fix by releasing /n/ clearly into the schwa and keeping the second syllable unstressed. Practice with minimal pairs and quick transitions to maintain natural timing.
"Her injury was minor, but she needed a few days off to recover."
"The company faced minor financial losses this quarter."
"She studied a minor in psychology alongside her engineering major."
Pronounce as /ˈmɪnər/ in most contexts (US) or /ˈmaɪnə/ (UK/AU, when stress and vowel choice align with regional patterns). The first syllable carries primary stress. For US listeners, you’ll hear a short, lax i in the first syllable and a schwa in the second syllable; for UK/AU, the /aɪ/ diphthong may be more prominent in some accents. Mouth position: lips neutral, tongue high for /ɪ/ or /aɪ/, followed by a relaxed mid-to-back vowel in the second syllable. Audio reference: [pronunciation app or YourVideoTutorial]—listen for the crisp /n/ followed by a light, unstressed second syllable. IPA: US /ˈmɪnər/, UK /ˈmaɪnə/, AU /ˈmaɪnə/.
Common mistakes: 1) Reducing the first syllable too much to /mɪ/, making it sound like ‘mini’ with an /i/ shift. 2) Turning the second syllable into a full vowel rather than a quick schwa, making it /ˈmɪnɑr/ or /ˈmaɪnɑː/. 3) Misplacing stress, saying /ˈmaɪnər/ in all dialects. Correction: keep the first syllable stressed with a clear, short /ɪ/ or /aɪ/ depending on region, and shorten the second syllable to a reduced /ər/ or /ə/. Practice minimal pairs to fix vowel quantity and syllable timing.
In US English, /ˈmɪnər/ with a compact /ɪ/ and rhotic /r/ in the second syllable. In many UK accents, /ˈmaɪnə/ features a longer /aɪ/ diphthong and a non-rhotic or lightly aspirated /r/ depending on dialect. In Australian English, /ˈmaɪnə/ tends toward a higher front vowel in the first syllable and a schwa-like second syllable; the /r/ is typically non-rhotic. Pay attention to rhoticity and vowel quality: US often keeps the /r/ pronounced, UK/AU may omit or soften it. IPA references: US /ˈmɪnər/, UK /ˈmaɪnə/, AU /ˈmaɪnə/.
The difficulty stems from vowel contrast and syllable reduction. The first syllable can be a lax /ɪ/ (US) or a higher /aɪ/ (UK/AU), with the second syllable reduced to a schwa or a light /ər/. Rapid speech blends /n/ into a softer vowel, and regional stress can shift, leading to mispronunciations like /ˈmaɪnɑr/ or /ˈmɪnə/. Practicing precise mouth positions for /ɪ/ vs /aɪ/ and ensuring a quick, weak second syllable helps stabilize pronunciation across contexts.
In American English, the second syllable is commonly reduced to a schwa with a soft /r/ in rhotic dialects, sounding like /ər/ as in /ˈmɪnər/. In non-rhotic UK accents, it commonly sounds like /ə/ without pronounced /r/. Australian English typically mirrors US rhotic tendencies but with slightly softer rhotics and a schwa that can approach /ə/. So, you’ll hear either /ˈmɪnər/ or /ˈmaɪnə/ depending on the speaker's region and the surrounding speech.
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- US: Pronounce /ˈmɪnər/. Emphasize a crisp /n/ and a quick /ər/; the /r/ is pronounced. - UK: Expect /ˈmaɪnə/ or /ˈmɪnə/ depending on speaker; non-rhotic tendencies mean the /r/ is not pronounced, and the first syllable may lean toward /aɪ/ or /ɪ/. - AU: Generally /ˈmaɪnə/ with a slightly flatter vowels and a soft but present /r/ in some speakers; rhotics often mild or variable. Pay attention to vowel quality and whether the speaker is rhotic. IPA: US /ˈmɪnər/, UK /ˈmaɪnə/, AU /ˈmaɪnə/.
Minor comes from Latin minor, which is the comparative form of parvus ‘small’. In Latin, parvus meant small, little, or insignificant; it appears in English through Old French minor and Medieval Latin. The sense of “smaller in size or importance” emerged in early Middle English as a natural extension of the Latin roots, with the word serving both practical descriptions (size, degree) and more abstract categories (hierarchy, legal ranks). The term broadened into specialized domains such as music (minor vs. major), law (minor as non-adult or lesser status), and academics (minor as a secondary field of study). First known uses in English trace to late medieval or early Renaissance texts where “minor” was used in comparison to “major” in various contexts, gradually crystallizing into a common adjective meaning “not of primary importance or size.” Today, minor remains a flexible descriptor across disciplines, retaining its core sense while adapting to evolving jargon (e.g., minor in music theory, minor injury, minor scale).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Minor" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Minor"
-ner sounds
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