In law, a
minor is a person under a certain age—usually the
age of majority—which legally demarcates
childhood from
adulthood. The age of majority depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is generally 18.
Minor may also be used in contexts unconnected to the overall age of majority. For example, the
drinking age in the
United States is 21, and people below this age are sometimes called
minors even if they are older than 18. The term
underage often refers to those under the age of majority, but may also refer to persons under a certain age limit, such as the
drinking age,
smoking age,
age of consent,
marriageable age,
driving age,
voting age, etc. These age limits are often different from the age of majority.