420: Minor versus Miner Feb 1, 2016

Although the two are easy enough to distinguish, it is important to note the difference between 'minor' and 'miner'. Simply enough, 'miner' comes from Middle English originally from the Old French word 'minour'. The '-er' ending in English is true of many occupations, such as 'banker'. 'Minor', however, comes from Latin, meaning ‘smaller, less’. The term was first used to mean a Franciscan friar, which is suggested with the title, "Fratres Minores" meaning 'Lesser Brethren’.