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.
DR Congo, the last African nation to qualify through the inter-confederation play-offs, has 24 players in Europe - though only 11 in a major league.
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
Klein, who joined his fourth organization when the Dodgers acquired him in a minor league trade last June, is in his first full major league season.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
The No. 9 hitter roped it beyond left field for his first major league home run and a 1-1 tie.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
Justin Wrobleski gives up one hit over seven innings and strikes out nine in the best start of his major league career in the Dodgers’ 4-2 win.
From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026
In the morning, a major league team picked me in the first round to play professional baseball, and in the evening, my baseball team had to play in the semifinal round of the championship.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
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.
