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major

noun

  1. musical quality
  2. military rank
L24318 on Wikidata ↗

verb

  1. have as a primary subject in school
L332166 on Wikidata ↗

adjective

  1. musical quality
L4192 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈmeɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/ / [ˈmeɪ̯d͡ʒə(ɹ)] / [ˈmɛjd͡ʒə(ɹ)]

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs Proto-Italic *magjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.

  1. Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.

    The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.

  2. Greater in number, quantity, or extent.

    the major part of the assembly

    The three major religions are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

  3. Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.

    The building underwent a major renovation.

  4. Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.

    to earn some major cash

    a major exhibition

  5. Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.

    to suffer from a major illness

  6. Of full legal age, having attained majority.

    major children

  7. Of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization.
  8. Having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees. (of a scale)

    major scale

  9. Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval. (of an interval)

    major third

  10. Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval. (of an interval)

    major triad

  11. (of a key) Based on a major scale, tending to produce a bright or joyful effect.
  12. Bell changes rung on eight bells.
  13. Indicating the elder of two brothers (or the eldest of three), appended to a surname in public schools.
  14. Occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism. (of a term)
  15. Containing the major term in a categorical syllogism. (of a premise)

name

Etymology: * As an English surname of Norman origin, from the personal name Malgier, via Old French from the Germanic name *Madalgari. See Mauger. * As a Hungarian surname, shortened from majorosgazda (see Majoros), or borrowed from German Meyer. * As a Polish, Czech, and Slovak surname, from the military rank major. * As a Jewish surname, variant of Meyer. * As a French and Occitan surname, from the adjective majeur and the military rank major. The latter appears in Canadian French, sometimes also as La Major.

  1. A surname.
  2. An unincorporated community in Owsley County, Kentucky, United States.
  3. A village in the Rural Municipality of Prairiedale, No. 321, Saskatchewan, Canada.

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs Proto-Italic *magjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.

  1. A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.

    He used to be a major in the army.

  2. A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.
  3. A person of legal age.
  4. Ellipsis of major key.
  5. Ellipsis of major interval.
  6. Ellipsis of major scale.
  7. A system of change-ringing using eight bells.
  8. A large, commercially successful company, especially a record label that is bigger than an indie.

    At the end of last year, the band re-signed to XL for another three albums, despite being chased by majors that included Island, says manager Mike Champion of Midi Management.

  9. The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university.

    Midway through his second year of college, he still hadn't chosen a major.

  10. The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university.

    She is a math major.

  11. Ellipsis of major term.
  12. Ellipsis of major premise.
  13. Ellipsis of major suit.
  14. A touchdown, or major score.
  15. A goal.
  16. An elder brother (especially at a public school).
  17. A large leaf-cutter ant that acts as a soldier, defending the nest.
  18. Alternative form of mayor and mair.

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs Proto-Italic *magjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.

  1. Used in a phrasal verb: major in.