Top Definitions
Quiz
Related Content
Examples
British

major

[ mey-jer ]

/ ˈmeɪ dʒər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for major on Thesaurus.com

noun

a commissioned military officer ranking next below a lieutenant colonel and next above a captain.

one of superior rank, ability, etc., in a specified class.

Education.

a subject or field of study chosen by a student to represent their principal interest and upon which a large share of their efforts are concentrated: History was my major in college.
a student engaged in such study.

a person of full legal age (opposed to minor).

Music. a major interval, chord, scale, etc.

the majors,

Sports. the major leagues: He coached in the majors as well as in the minors.
the companies or organizations that lead or control a particular field of activity: the oil majors.

adjective

greater in size, extent, or importance: the major part of the town.

great, as in rank or importance: a major political issue;a major artist.

serious or risky: a major operation.

of or relating to the majority: the major opinion.

of full legal age.

Music.

(of an interval) being between the tonic and the second, third, sixth, or seventh degrees of a major scale: a major third;a major sixth.
(of a chord) having a major third between the root and the note next above it.

pertaining to the subject in which a student takes the most courses: Her major field is English history.

(initial capital letter) (of one of two male students in an English public school who have the same surname) being the elder or higher in standing: Hobbes Major is not of a scientific bent.

verb (used without object)

to follow a major course of study: He is majoring in physics.

VIDEO FOR MAJOR

What Is The Origin Of The Word "Major"?

Major, similar to its latin derivative magnus, means “great in size, extent, or importance.”

MORE VIDEOS FROM DICTIONARY.COM

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of major

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin, comparative of magnus “great, large”; replacing Middle English maio(u)r, majour, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above; see origin at majesty

synonym study for major

8. See capital¹.

Words nearby major

majestic, majesty, Maj. Gen., majlis, majolica, major, major arcana, major axis, Major Barbara, Majorca, major-domo

Other definitions for major (2 of 2)

Major

[ mey-jer ]

/ ˈmeɪ dʒər /

noun

Clarence, born 1936, U.S. novelist and poet.

John, born 1943, British political leader: prime minister 1990–97.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use major in a sentence

The roof, doors, and windows will be sourced locally, and the whole process can be completed in less than a week, another major advantage over traditional building methods.
The World’s First 3D Printed School Will Be Built in Madagascar|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|February 26, 2021|Singularity Hub
She met her first husband and writing partner Gerry Goffin, a chemistry major while they were students at Queens College.
Fifty years later, ‘Tapestry’s’ hope and optimism still resonates|Tanya Pearson|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
CHth1zkHj8WOne of the ways that Toyota is able to create vehicles with such strong reputations for reliability is by reusing major components across multiple vehicles.
How to Modify Your Tacoma the Right Way|Wes Siler|February 25, 2021|Outside Online
The newspapers reported that Thomas “Shaky Tom” Anderson and Jimmy “Kid Riviera” Williams were major players in the policy racket.
The Murder Chicago Didn’t Want to Solve|by Mick Dumke|February 25, 2021|ProPublica

Another former Democratic lawmaker who now leads a major Texas city similarly tried and failed to pass legislation that would bring greater accountability to the state.
“Power Companies Get Exactly What They Want”: How Texas Repeatedly Failed to Protect Its Power Grid Against Extreme Weather|by Jeremy Schwartz, Kiah Collier and Vianna Davila|February 22, 2021|ProPublica
To put it rather uncharitably, the USPHS practiced a major dental experiment on a city full of unconsenting subjects.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Other major news outlets made the same decision, hiding behind a misplaced sense of multicultural sensitivity.
Why We Stand With Charlie Hebdo—And You Should Too|John Avlon|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Iraq may have been an irregular fight, but it had major moments.
Pentagon Doesn’t Know How Many People It’s Killed in the ISIS War|Nancy A. Youssef|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This is the Mexico that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and most major U.S. corporations, are eager to call amigo.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Those who have watched anti-gay groups closely suggest that there will be two major strategic shifts in their strategy.
‘Only God’ Can Stop Gay Marriage|Tim Mak|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The major-general kept him well informed of every movement of the enemy, and pointed out the dangerous isolation of Davout.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Thereon the major-general took on himself to nominate Prince Eugne as Murat's successor.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Major Abbott and his brother officers, trying to keep their men loyal, stood fast and listened to the distant turmoil in the city.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Frulein Fichtner was the young lady who was going to play his concerto in A major at the concert that evening.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
He was a good judge of men, that eagle-faced major; he knew that the slightest move with hostile intent would mean a smoking gun.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for major (1 of 2)

major

/ (ˈmeɪdʒə) /

noun

military an officer immediately junior to a lieutenant colonel

a person who is superior in a group or class

a large or important companythe oil majors

(often preceded by the) music a major key, chord, mode, or scale

US, Canadian, Australian and NZ

the principal field of study of a student at a university, etchis major is sociology
a student who is studying a particular subject as his principal fielda sociology major

a person who has reached the age of legal majority

logic a major term or premise

a principal or important record company, film company, etc

the majors (plural) US and Canadian the major leagues

adjective

larger in extent, number, etcthe major part

of greater importance or priority

very serious or significanta major disaster

main, chief, or principal

of, involving, or making up a majority

music

(of a scale or mode) having notes separated by the interval of a whole tone, except for the third and fourth degrees, and seventh and eighth degrees, which are separated by a semitone
relating to or employing notes from the major scalea major key
(postpositive) denoting a specified key or scale as being majorC major
denoting a chord or triad having a major third above the root
(in jazz) denoting a major chord with a major seventh added above the root

logic constituting the major term or major premise of a syllogism

mainly US, Canadian, Australian and NZ of or relating to a student's principal field of study at a university, etc

British the elder: used after a schoolboy's surname if he has one or more younger brothers in the same schoolPrice major

of full legal age

(postpositive) bell-ringing of, relating to, or denoting a method rung on eight bells

verb

(intr usually foll by in) US, Canadian, Australian and NZ to do one's principal study (in a particular subject)to major in English literature

(intr usually foll by on) to take or deal with as the main area of interestthe book majors on the peasant dishes

Derived forms of major

majorship, noun

Word Origin for major

C15 (adj): from Latin, comparative of magnus great; C17 (n, in military sense): from French, short for sergeant major

British Dictionary definitions for major (2 of 2)

Major

/ (ˈmeɪdʒə) /

noun

Sir John. born 1943, British Conservative politician: Chancellor of the Exchequer (1989–90); prime minister (1990–97)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012