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major league

1 American  
[mey-jer leeg] / ˈmeɪ dʒər ˈlig /

noun

  1. Baseball. either of the two top-tier baseball leagues (the American League and theNational League ) that are organized under and regulated by MLB.

  2. Sports. a league of corresponding stature in certain other sports, such as ice hockey, soccer, football, or basketball.

major-league 2 American  
[mey-jer-leeg] / ˈmeɪ dʒərˈlig /

adjective

  1. Sports. of or relating to the major leagues, especially in baseball.

  2. Informal. belonging to or among the best or most important of its kind.

    a major-league orchestra.
major league British  

noun

  1. a league of highest classification in baseball, football, hockey, etc

"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

Other Word Forms

  • major leaguer noun
  • major-leaguer noun

Etymology

Origin of major league1

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Origin of major-league2

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; adjective use of major league ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He has made 133 major league starts and 130 minor league starts, but he never has pitched a complete game.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 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

And, if the Dodgers can match up with Team USA, they can take on the best lineup the other 29 major league teams have to offer.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 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.