major.
Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
Meaning & usage
Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
the major part of the assembly
The three major religions are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.
The building underwent a major renovation.
Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
to earn some major cash
a major exhibition
Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.
to suffer from a major illness
Of full legal age, having attained majority.
major children
Of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization.
Having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees. (of a scale)
major scale
Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval. (of an interval)
major third
Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval. (of an interval) Having a major third above the root.
major triad
(of a key) Based on a major scale, tending to produce a bright or joyful effect.
Bell changes rung on eight bells.
Indicating the elder of two brothers (or the eldest of three), appended to a surname in public schools.
Occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism. (of a term)
Containing the major term in a categorical syllogism. (of a premise)
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵyōs Proto-Italic *majjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.
A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.
He used to be a major in the army.
A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel. An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier.
A person of legal age.
Ellipsis of major key.
Ellipsis of major interval.
Ellipsis of major scale.
A system of change-ringing using eight bells.
A large, commercially successful company, especially a record label that is bigger than an indie.
The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university.
Midway through his second year of college, he still hadn't chosen a major.
The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university. A student at a college or university specializing on a given area of study.
She is a math major.
Ellipsis of major term.
Ellipsis of major premise.
Ellipsis of major suit.
A touchdown, or major score.
A goal.
An elder brother (especially at a public school).
A large leaf-cutter ant that acts as a soldier, defending the nest.
Alternative form of mayor and mair.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵyōs Proto-Italic *majjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.
Used in a phrasal verb: major in.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵyōs Proto-Italic *majjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.