minor term of a syllogism

minor \mi"nor\ (m[imac]"n[~e]r), a. [L., a comparative with no
   positive; akin to AS. min small, G. minder less, OHG.
   minniro, a., min, adv., Icel. minni, a., minnr, adv., Goth.
   minniza, a., mins, adv., Ir. & Gael. min small, tender, L.
   minuere to lessen, Gr. miny`qein, Skr. mi to damage. Cf.
   {Minish}, {Minister}, {Minus}, {Minute}.]
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   1. Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller;
      of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.
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   2. (Mus.) Less by a semitone in interval or difference of
      pitch; as, a minor third.
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   {Asia Minor} (Geog.), the Lesser Asia; that part of Asia
      which lies between the Euxine, or Black Sea, on the north,
      and the Mediterranean on the south.

   {Minor mode} (Mus.), that mode, or scale, in which the third
      and sixth are minor, -- much used for mournful and solemn
      subjects.

   {Minor orders} (Eccl.), the rank of persons employed in
      ecclesiastical offices who are not in holy orders, as
      doorkeepers, acolytes, etc.

   {Minor scale} (Mus.) The form of the minor scale is various.
      The strictly correct form has the third and sixth minor,
      with a semitone between the seventh and eighth, which
      involves an augmented second interval, or three semitones,
      between the sixth and seventh, as, 6/F, 7/G[sharp], 8/A.
      But, for melodic purposes, both the sixth and the seventh
      are sometimes made major in the ascending, and minor in
      the descending, scale, thus: 
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      [1913 Webster] See {Major}.

   {Minor term of a syllogism} (Logic), the subject of the
      conclusion.
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