Baseball. either of the two top-tier baseball leagues (the American League and theNational League ) that are organized under and regulated by MLB.
Sports. a league of corresponding stature in certain other sports, such as ice hockey, soccer, football, or basketball.
Sports. of or relating to the major leagues, especially in baseball.
Informal. belonging to or among the best or most important of its kind.
a major-league orchestra.
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; adjective use of major league ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Less than 18 months after he was drafted, Lesch, wracked by a rotator cuff injury, was released, his major league dream over before he was old enough to legally buy a beer.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026
All of his first five starts have been quality starts; no other major league pitcher has more than four.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Monday, who served in the Marine Corps reserves during his major league career, has used the flag to raise money for veterans and their families, but he never has loaned it for a long-term exhibition.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
Garret Anderson was a Hall of Fame-caliber major league baseball player who never made the Hall of Fame.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
His championship playing didn't just get him into the major league; it got him the Most Valuable Player award in 1949 and had proved him to be an All-Star player for the last five years.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
