lesser

smaller: She received a lesser amount.; inferior: a lesser evil

Not to be confused with:

lessor – a person who grants a lease: The lessor agreed to let me stay another month.

less·er

(lĕs′ər)

adj.A comparative of little

1. Smaller in amount, value, or importance, especially in a comparison between two things: chose the lesser evil.

2. Of a smaller size than other, similar forms: the lesser anteater.

adv.A comparative of little

Less. Used before a participle: a lesser-known writer.

One that is lower in importance, rank, magnitude, or degree: the lesser of two evils.

[Middle English, from lesse, less; see less.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

lesser

(ˈlɛsə)

adj

not as great in quantity, size, or worth

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

less•er

(ˈlɛs ər)

adj. a compar. of little with least as superl.

1. smaller, as in size, value, or importance: a lesser evil.

adv. a compar. of little with least as superl.

2. less.

[1175–1225]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	lesser - of less size or importance; "the lesser anteater"; "the lesser of two evils" greater - greater in size or importance or degree; "for the greater good of the community"; "the greater Antilles"
	2.	lesser - smaller in size or amount or value; "the lesser powers of Europe"; "the lesser anteater" little, small - limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent; "a little dining room"; "a little house"; "a small car"; "a little (or small) group"

lesser

adjective lower, slighter, secondary, subsidiary, subordinate, inferior, less important He was feared by other, lesser, men.
higher, greater, major, primary, superior

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

lesser

adjective

Below another in standing or importance:

inferior, junior, low, lower, minor, minor-league, petty, secondary, small, subaltern, subordinate, under.

Informal: smalltime.

Translations

أقَل منالأقَل

méněmenší

mindre

menor

moindre moindre le moins

minna; líttminni; óæîri; síîri

minore più piccolo comp. di less

mindre

daha az/küçükdaha küçük olandaha önemsiz

較少的较小的较少地

lesser

[ˈlesəʳ] ADJ COMPAR of less → menor
to a lesser extent or degree → en menor grado
he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge → se declaró culpable del cargo menor
the lesser of two evils → el menor de dos males

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

lesser

[ˈlɛsə^r]

adj comparative → moindre
to a lesser extent, to a lesser degree → à un degré moindre

pron
the lesser of two evils → le moindre des deux mauxlesser-known [ˌlɛsə^rˈnəʊn] adj comparative → moins connu(e)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

lesser

adj → geringer; (in names) → klein; to a lesser extent → in geringerem Maße; a lesser amount → ein kleinerer Betrag; the lesser weight → das leichtere Gewicht; lesser offence (Brit) or offense (US) (Jur) → Vergehen nt, → Übertretung f; which is the lesser crime? → welches Verbrechen ist weniger schlimm?; he is a lesser man than his brother (= less good) → er ist kein so guter Mensch wie sein Bruder; (= less great) → er ist weniger bedeutend als sein Bruder

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

lesser

[ˈlɛsəʳ] adj (importance, degree) → minore; (size) → più piccolo/a
to a lesser extent or degree → in grado or misura minore
the lesser of two evils → il minore dei due mali

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

less

(les) adjective

(often with than) not as much (as). Think of a number less than forty; He drank his tea and wished he had put less sugar in it; The salary for that job will be not less than $30,000.

adverb

not as much or to a smaller extent. I like her less every time I see her; You should smoke less if you want to remain healthy.

pronoun

a smaller part or amount. He has less than I have.

preposition

minus. He earns $280 a week less $90 income tax.

ˈlessen verb

to make or become less. The fan lessened the heat a little; When the children left, the noise lessened considerably.

ˈlesser adjective

smaller or not as important. the lesser of the two towns.

adverb

less. the lesser-known streets of London.

the less … the less/more

etc . The less I see of him, the better (pleased I'll be)!; The less I practise, the less confident I become; The less I try, the more I succeed.

no less a person etc than

as great a person etc as: I had tea with no less a person than the Prime Minister

less is used in speaking about quantity or amount: People should eat less fat ; I've less than $100 in the bank .
fewer sould be used in speaking about numbers of individual things or people: I've fewer books than he has ; There were fewer than 50 people at the meeting .

lesser

a. comp. of less menor; más pequeño.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"Oh," gasped Cecily, choosing the lesser of two evils, "I'll tell you who wrote it--it was--

View in context

It would be the lesser of two evils, then, to let the white god carry him away without scratching and biting, as he had done at first.

View in context

Compared to that of the UK, as a whole it is, by far, the lesser of two evils, exacerbated by Brexit - some PS100m having been spent on consultants alone.

Path not easy but potential is great; Letters to the editor Write to: Letters to the editor, The Press and Journal, 1 Marischal Square, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1BL. email: pj.letters@ajl.co.uk All letters are subject to editing and must include your full address and daytime telephone number for verification. Thank you

The enemy is the lesser of two evils, because his own side keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service.

tv highlights

"We had to take this as it was the lesser of two evils, but we've done nothing wrong, finished in third and it should have been a home game."

Glassboys second best in their play-off defeat; Alvechurch 2 Stourbridge 1

United have been left as bystanders this term when it comes to the dishing out the biggest prize in English football, and forced to get their heads around what they see as the lesser of two evils when it comes to the destination of the Premier League trophy.

'I'd emigrate if Liverpool won' - Manchester United fans desperate for Man City to win Premier League; United fans gave their take on the title race - and they are desperate for Jurgen Klopp's men to miss out

The American electorate did not have a choice between Donald Trump and St Francis of Assisi, it was a choice between him and Hillary Clinton, they chose the lesser of two evils.

UK politicians should be silent on Trump; Views of Wales

Chelsea also have an interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain, and while it is believed the player prefers Anfield, Arsenal may see Antonio Conte's men as the lesser of two evils.

Gunners likely to frustrate Reds over Ox

"He regrets doing it but it was the lesser of two evils."

Driver fled when stopped by police

Hillary isn't perfect, and she may be the lesser of two evils. Fine.

Hillary Clinton for president

DONALD Trump has been branded "the lesser of two evils", "unintelligent" and an "orange sexual predator" by various Irish celebs.

Celebs weigh in on 'lesser of two evils'

One prong of the quandary was summed up by Ralph Nader: "If you always vote for the lesser of two evils, you will always have evil, and you will always have less." The other prong is that voters who reject both leading candidates in any political race increase the chances that the one they like least will be elected - the spoiler effect.

Benton's ballot experiment