{
    "term": "lesser",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "not as great in size, amount or importance as something/somebody else",
            "labels": "(humorous)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "people of lesser importance"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were all involved **to a greater or lesser degree** *(= some were more involved than others)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The London Stock Exchange has been losing business to New York and, to a lesser extent, Amsterdam."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was encouraged to plead guilty to the lesser offence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He doesn’t even acknowledge us **lesser mortals** *(= people who are not as important or powerful)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "A lesser woman would have given up."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used in the names of some types of animals, birds and plants that are smaller than similar kinds",
            "labels": "(specialist)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a lesser black-backed gull"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the less unpleasant of two unpleasant choices",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Preferences and decisions"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlesə(r)/",
                "audio": "le/lesser/lesser__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈlesər/",
                "audio": "le/lesser/lesser__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: a double comparative, from less + -er."
}