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.

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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.

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major league British  

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• major leaguer noun
• major-leaguer noun

Etymology

Origin of major league¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Origin of major-league¹

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

Example Sentences

In 2009, in the first start of his first full major league season, the Angels’ pitcher threw six shutout innings against Suzuki and the Oakland Athletics.

From Los Angeles Times

In independent leagues, teams find their own players, rather than major league teams acquiring and assigning them.

From Los Angeles Times

"Aligning our calendar with the world's major leagues will strengthen the global competitiveness of our clubs, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure that our playoffs take center stage without interruption."

From Barron's

The major league schedule could resume the following weekend.

From Los Angeles Times

Of course, being competitive is another of KSE's values and under their ownership, all of their major league teams have won a championship, apart from Arsenal, who lead the Premier League by four points.

From BBC

Related Words

• big league
• big time
• majors