You use lesser in order to indicate that something is smaller in extent, degree, or amount than another thing that has been mentioned.
Any medication is affected to a greater or lesser extent by many factors.
The more obvious potential allies are Ireland, Denmark and, to a lesser degree, theNetherlands.
Lesser is also an adverb.
...lesser known works by famous artists.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You can use lesser to refer to something or someone that is less important than other things or people of the same type.
They pleaded guilty to lesser charges of criminal damage.
He was feared by other, lesser, men.
Synonyms: lower, slighter, secondary, subsidiary More Synonyms of lesser
3. noun, in names
Lesser is used in the names of some species of birds, animals, and plants.
...the lesser spotted woodpecker.
4. the lesser of two evils
lesser in British English
(ˈlɛsə)
adjective
not as great in quantity, size, or worth
lesser in American English
(ˈlɛsər)
adjective
1. alt. compar. of
little
2.
smaller, less, or less important
adverb
3.
less
Word origin
less + -er
More idioms containing
lesser
the lesser of two evils
Examples of 'lesser' in a sentence
lesser
It happens in rugby to a lesser extent.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
A sixth survivor pleaded guilty in 2010 to lesser charges of attempting to plunder a vessel.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This may go some way to explaining the lesser spotted pipe smoker.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The rest of us must settle for lesser degrees of freedom.
Christianity Today (2000)
This was the lesser of many evils.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Sport is also about much lesser and perhaps more important things.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They can buy the best players and do not like to be challenged by lesser mortals.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The idea of lesser mortals employing some of his methods is horrifying.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Or was he simply uninterested in the little gold statues craved by lesser mortals than him?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The other five men pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Lesser mortals would be plucked off the steps and thrown into the sea.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The lesser charge could not be brought because of a statute of limitations.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The lesser spotted birds drum for slightly longer, but more softly.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In practice, this meant that many lesser driving offences went unpunished.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
To a lesser extent, we can affect their behaviour while they remain in office.
George Monbiot THE AGE OF CONSENT (2003)
Yet it also counts on lesser schools being improved because middle-class parents are randomly forced on to their rolls.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Obviously a chemical which is absorbed efficiently from the intestine is more likely to be toxic than one that is absorbed to a lesser extent.
Hanssen, Maurice & Marsden, Jill E For Additives (1987)
Some patients appeared to react to commercial food in the winter, but to a much lesser degree in the warmer months.
Randolph, Theron G. & Moss, Ralph W. (contributor) An Alternative Approach to Allergies (1990)
There is similar work being done in this country by orchestras and other music organisations, but to a very much lesser extent.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Batting and, to a lesser degree, bowling are tackled together.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Lower atmosphere pressure in the 48 hours beforehand also had an effect, but to a lesser degree.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Today they are gone, the beds of the famed Chesapeake are in trouble and many lesser grounds are fading fast.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
lesser
British English: lesser ADJECTIVE
You use lesser in order to indicate that something is smaller in extent, degree, or amount than another thing that has been mentioned.
No medication works in isolation but is affected to a greater or lesser extent by many other factors.
American English: lesser
Brazilian Portuguese: menor
Chinese: > 较小的范围或程度
European Spanish: menor
French: moindre
German: geringer
Italian: minore
Japanese: より少ない
Korean: 더 적은
European Portuguese: menor
Latin American Spanish: menor
All related terms of 'lesser'
little
You use little to indicate that there is only a very small amount of something. You can use 'so', 'too', and 'very' in front of little .
lesser kudu
a spiral-horned antelope , Tragelaphus imberbis , which inhabits the bush of Africa
lesser-known
less widely known; less famous
lesser koodoo
a spiral-horned antelope , Tragelaphus imberbis , which inhabits the bush of Africa
lesser panda
a closely related smaller animal resembling a raccoon , Ailurus fulgens, of the mountain forests of S Asia, having a reddish-brown coat and ringed tail
lesser scaup
a diving duck , Aythya marila , of Europe and America, having a black-and-white plumage in the male
lesser weever
a small British weever , Trachinus vipera
lesser anteater
a small arboreal edentate mammal, Tamandua tetradactyla, of Central and South America, having a prehensile tail and tubular mouth specialized for feeding on termites : family Myrmecophagidae
Lesser Antilles
group of islands in the West Indies , southeast of Puerto Rico, including the Leeward Islands, the Windward Islands, & the islands off the N coast of Venezuela
lesser omentum
lesser celandine
a Eurasian ranunculaceous plant, Ranunculus ficaria, having yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves
lesser periwinkle
a Eurasian apocynaceous evergreen plant of the genus Vinca , ; V . minor , having trailing stems and blue flowers
lesser spearwort
a Eurasian ranunculaceous plant, R. flammula , of the genus Ranunculus , which grows in wet places and has long narrow leaves and yellow flowers
lesser whitethroat
an Old World warbler , Sylvia curruca , having a greyish-brown plumage with a white throat and underparts
lesser yellowlegs
the Lesser Dog
the constellation Canis Minor
Lesser Sunda Islands
an island chain east of Java , mostly in Indonesia : the main islands are Bali , Lombok , Sumbawa , Sumba , Flores , Alor, and Timor . Pop: 11 112 702 (2000). Area: 73 144 sq km (28 241 sq miles)
the Lesser Antilles
a group of islands in the Caribbean , including the Leeward Islands, the Windward Islands, Barbados , Aruba , and Curaçao
to a lesser degree
You use degree to indicate the extent to which something happens or is the case, or the amount which something is felt .
lesser Antillean iguana
a large tropical American arboreal herbivorous lizard ( iguana delicatissima ) native to the Lesser Antilles
lesser spotted dogfish
a small spotted European shark , Scyliorhinus caniculus
bearcat
→ another name for lesser panda → panda (sense 2 )
lesser spotted woodpecker
a small woodpecker , Picoides minor (formerly Dendrocopus minor ), found in Europe and Asia
the lesser of two evils the lesser evil
If you have two choices , but think that they are both bad , you can describe the one which is less bad as the lesser of two evils , or the lesser evil .
adjutant
An adjutant is an officer in the army who deals with administrative work.
minke
a type of small whalebone whale or rorqual , Balaenoptera acutorostrata, up to 10 metres long
tamandua
a small arboreal edentate mammal , Tamandua tetradactyla, of Central and South America, having a prehensile tail and tubular mouth specialized for feeding on termites : family Myrmecophagidae
Chinese translation of 'lesser'
lesser
(ˈlɛsəʳ)
adj
(= smaller) (in degree, importance, amount) 次要的 (cìyào de)
to a lesser extent or degree在较(較)小程度上 (zài jiàoxiǎo chéngdù shang)
(adjective)
Definition
not as great in quantity, size, or worth
He was feared by other, lesser, men.
Synonyms
lower
the lower ranks of council officers
slighter
secondary
Refugee problems remained of secondary importance.
subsidiary
a subsidiary position
subordinate
Sixty of his subordinate officers followed his example.
inferior
the inferior status of women in many societies
less important
Opposites
higher
,
greater
,
major
,
primary
,
superior
Additional synonyms
in the sense of inferior
Definition
lower in rank, position, or status
the inferior status of women in many societies
Synonyms
lower,
junior,
minor,
secondary,
subsidiary,
lesser,
humble,
subordinate,
lowly,
less important,
menial
in the sense of secondary
Definition
below the first in rank or importance
Refugee problems remained of secondary importance.
Synonyms
subordinate,
minor,
lesser,
lower,
inferior,
unimportant,
second-rate
in the sense of subordinate
Definition
of lesser rank or importance
Sixty of his subordinate officers followed his example.