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major

[ mey-jer ]

/ ˈmeɪ dʒər /

|

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WATCH NOW: What Is The Origin Of The Word "Major"?

WATCH NOW: What Is The Origin Of The Word "Major"?

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

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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 his or her principal interest and upon which a large share of his or her efforts are concentrated: History was my major at 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.

Nearby words

Origin of major

1350–1400; < Latin, comparative of magnus large (cf. majesty); replacing Middle English majour < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Synonym study

8. See capital¹.

Definition 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. 2019

Examples from the Web for major

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 part of the plunder and the carts were still where they had been drawn up.
Mr. Midshipman Easy|Captain Frederick Marryat
The Major hardly ever visited the henhouse without finding a lump somewhere.
The Tale of Major Monkey|Arthur Scott Bailey
"Yes, good crop that—'nough to stuff a mattress with; looks better to-day than when it's full of alkali dust," replied the Major.
John Ermine of the Yellowstone|Frederic Remington
Von Herbert wrote an order to the Major of the Pandours for a detachment to take the duty of the imperial apartments.
Tales from Blackwood|Various
Seeing his Pawnees were some distance in the rear, the whole party turned on Major North.
The Story of the First Trans-Continental Railroad|W. F. Bailey.

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 Formsmajorship, 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

Word Origin and History for major (1 of 3)

major

adj.

c.1300, from Latin maior (earlier *magjos), irregular comparative of magnus "large, great" (see magnate). Used in music (of modes, scales, or chords) since 1690s, on notion of an interval a half-tone greater than the minor.

Word Origin and History for major (1 of 3)

major

n.

military rank, 1640s, from French major, short for sergent-major, originally a higher rank than at present, from Medieval Latin major "chief officer, magnate, superior person," from Latin maior "an elder, adult," noun use of the adjective (see major (adj.)). The musical sense attested by 1797.

Word Origin and History for major (2 of 3)

major

v.

"focus (one's) studies," 1910, American English, from major (n.) in sense of "subject of specialization" (1890). Related: Majored; majoring. Earlier as a verb, in Scottish, "to prance about, or walk backwards and forwards with a military air and step" [Jamieson, 1825].

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper