ma·jor

(mā′jər)

adj.

1. Greater than others in importance or rank: a major artist.

2. Great in scope or effect: a major improvement.

3. Great in number, size, or extent: the major portion of the population.

4. Requiring great attention or concern; very serious: a major illness.

5. Law Legally recognized as having reached the age of adulthood.

6. Of or relating to the field of academic study in which a student specializes.

7. Music

a. Designating a scale or mode having half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees.

b. Equivalent to the distance between the tonic note and the second or third or sixth or seventh degrees of a major scale or mode: a major interval.

c. Based on a major scale: a major key.

a. A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above captain and below lieutenant colonel.

b. One who holds this rank.

2. One that is superior in rank, importance, or ability: an oil-producing country considered as one of the majors.

3. Law One recognized by the law as having reached the age of adulthood.

a. A field of study chosen as an academic specialty.

b. A student specializing in such studies: a linguistics major.

5. Logic

a. A major premise.

b. A major term.

6. Music

a. A major scale, key, interval, or mode.

b. A chord containing a major third between the first and second notes and a minor third between the second and third notes.

7. majors Sports The major leagues.

intr.v. ma·jored, ma·jor·ing, ma·jors

To pursue academic studies in a major: majoring in mathematics.

[Middle English majour, from Latin māior; see meg- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

majors - the most important league in any sport (especially baseball)

big league, major league

baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empty lot"; "there was a desire for National League ball in the area"; "play ball!"

major-league club, major-league team - a team that plays in a major league

league, conference - an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

I FIND it impossible to describe my sensations while the carriage was taking me to Major Fitz-David's house.

Now I never gave my coming interview with the Major a thought; I felt an unreasoning confidence in myself, and a blind faith in him .

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Both the count and Baptistin had told the truth when they announced to Morcerf the proposed visit of the major, which had served Monte Cristo as a pretext for declining Albert's invitation.

"Yes," said Monte Cristo "you were a major; that is the title the French give to the post which you filled in Italy."

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It was composed of four members of great technical knowledge, Barbicane (with a casting vote in case of equality), General Morgan, Major Elphinstone, and J.

"What?" shouted the general and the major in great surprise.

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One night a squadron of Federal horse commanded by Major Seidel, a gallant and skillful officer, moved out from Readyville on an uncommonly hazardous enterprise requiring secrecy, caution and silence.

"Where is your other man?" said the major. "I ordered Dunning to be here to-night."

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"You've often heard of her," echoed her husband, the Major.

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He did not end his sentence; the north wind blew at that moment with such ferocity that the aide-de-camp hurried on to escape being frozen, and the lips of Major de Sucy stiffened.

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Then the grey sky-line brightened into silver, and in the broadening light he realized that he had been to the house which belonged to an Anglo-Indian Major named Putnam; and that the Major had a native cook from Malta who was of his communion.

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Lady Anselman laid her fingers upon Major Thomson's arm.

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