lesser

less, lesser

这两个词都是little的比较级，都可指“较少”或“较小”。less偏重于“not so much”的意思，lesser偏重于“not so great或smaller、minor、lower”的意思。它们都可用于数量、重量、程度、重要性、价值等方面，但在用法及跟其他词语搭配上有很大不同，二者不能互换。
less: 所修饰的名词是不可数的，且没有冠词在前；less可带than，并指二者或多于二者的比较；

• i received less pay than he.
  我收的薪金比他少。
• i want less sugar for my coffee.
  我的咖啡要加少些糖。
• these days，i eat less rice than i used to.
  近来我吃饭比以前少。

lesser: 不用than，而用of，并只限于二者的比较；涉及程度、价值、重要性等方面时，一般用lesser（指 smaller，not so great，minor，lower）。

• i prefer a lesser amount of meat.
  我选择较少量的肉食。
• rice and wheat are two staple foods in china．in the north，rice is the lesser of the two.
  米和小麦是中国的两种主要食粮。在北方，米较小麦为次要。

形容词 lesser:

1. of less size or importance
2. smaller in size or amount or value

形容词 less:

1. (comparative of `little' usually used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning not as great in amount or degree
   同义词：less
2. (usually preceded by `no') lower in quality
   同义词：less
3. (nonstandard in some uses but often idiomatic with measure phrases) fewer
   同义词：less

1. The case has been remitted from the appeal court to a lesser tribunal.
   此案已由上诉法庭转给下级法庭处理。
2. She has also been affected, but to a lesser degree.
   她也受到波及，但程度较轻。
3. He is stubborn, and so is she, but to a lesser degree.
   他很固执，她也固执，不过程度轻些。
4. This is the lesser evil of the two.
   这是两种弊病中较轻的。