character vs minor role

character and minor role both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
character	Yes	No	Yes	No
minor role	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, minor role is a hyponym of character; that is, minor role is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than character:

Other hyponyms of character include bit part, heavy, hero, ingenue, name part, title role, heroine, baddie, villain.

character (noun)	minor role (noun)
(genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes	a small role
the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions
a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something
an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
a written symbol that is used to represent speech
a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability
a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
good repute

character (verb)	minor role (verb)
engrave or inscribe characters on