Definition(s)
In a legal context and in contrast to a child, a person who, according to the law of their respective country, is under the age of majority, i.e. is not yet entitled to exercise specific civil and political rights.
Source(s)
UNHCR International Thesaurus of Refugee Terminology
Translations
- BG: непълнолетно лице
- CS: nezletilý
- DE: Minderjähriger
- EL: ανήλικος
- EN: minor
- ES: menor
- ET: alaealine
- FI: alaikäinen
- FR: mineur
- GA: mionaoiseach
- HR: maloljetnik
- HU: kiskorú
- IT: minore/minorenne
- LT: nepilnametis
- LV: nepilngadīgais
- MT: Minorenni
- NL: minderjarige
- PL: małoletni
- PT: menor
- RO: minor
- SK: maloletý
- SL: mladoletnik
- SV: underårig
- NO: mindreårig
- KA: არასრულწლოვანი
- UK: неповнолітній
- HY: անչափահաս
Related Term(s)
Note(s)
1. This is the preferred term to use when referring to an individual. The term ‘child’ should then be used to describe the relationship with other family members .
2. The age specified by law, called the ‘legal age of majority’, indicates that a person acquires full legal capacity to be bound by various documents, such as contracts and deeds, that they make with others and to commit other legal acts such as voting in elections and entering marriage. The age at which a person becomes an adult varies from State to State and often varies within a State, depending upon the nature of the action taken by the person.