(humorous) Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure species that is of little interest or importance.

Dryobates minor, a species of woodpecker, principally of cooler regions of Eurasia.

The smaller of the two Old World species of flamingo, Phoeniconaias minor, syn. Phoenicopterus minor, found principally in the Great Rift Valley of Africa.

The smaller islands of the West Indies, to the south and east of Puerto Rico, in the Caribbean Sea.

(transitive) To make less; to diminish; to reduce. / (intransitive) To become less.

(nonstandard, dialect) unless.

a thing that is of smaller size, value, importance etc.

(law) A crime the elements of which coincide with the elements of a more serious crime, from which the prosecutor is therefore precluded from separately charging a criminal defendant.

present participle of lessen

A growing lesser; reduction or decrease.