ma·jor·i·ty (m -jôr  -t , -j r-)n. pl. ma·jor·i·ties 1. The greater number or part; a number more than half of the total. 2. The amount by which the greater number of votes cast, as in an election, exceeds the total number of remaining votes. 3. The political party, group, or faction having the most power by virtue of its larger representation or electoral strength. 4. Law The status of having reached full legal age, with attendant rights and responsibilities. 5. The military rank, commission, or office of a major. 6. Obsolete The fact or state of being greater; superiority. [French majorité, from Medieval Latin m  i rits, from Latin mior, greater; see meg- in Indo-European roots.]Usage Note: When majority refers to a particular number of votes, it takes a singular verb: Her majority was five votes. His majority has been growing by 5 percent every year. When it refers to a group of persons or things that are in the majority, it may take either a singular or plural verb, depending on whether the group is considered as a whole or as a set of people considered individually. So we say The majority elects (not elect) the candidate it wants (not they want), since the election is accomplished by the group as a whole; but The majority of the voters live (not lives) in the city, since living in the city is something that each voter does individually. · Majority is often preceded by great (but not by greater) in expressing emphatically the sense of "most of": The great majority approved. The phrase greater majority is appropriate only when considering two majorities: He won by a greater majority in this election than in the last. |
majority [məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ]
n pl -ties
1. the greater number or part of something the majority of the constituents
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in an election) the number of votes or seats by which the strongest party or candidate beats the combined opposition or the runner-up See relative majority, absolute majority
3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the largest party or group that votes together in a legislative or deliberative assembly
4. (Law) the time of reaching or state of having reached full legal age, when a person is held competent to manage his own affairs, exercise civil rights and duties, etc.
5. (Military) the rank, office, or commission of major
6. Euphemistic the dead (esp in the phrases join the majority, go or pass over to the majority)
7. Obsolete the quality or state of being greater; superiority
8. (modifier) of, involving, or being a majority a majority decision a majority verdict
in the majority forming or part of the greater number of something
[from Medieval Latin mājoritās, from major (adj)]
Usage: The majority of can only refer to a number of things or people. When talking about an amount, most of should be used: most of (not the majority of) the harvest was saved
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | majority - the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part; "the majority of his customers prefer it"; "the bulk of the work is finished" number, figure - the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals; "he had a number of chores to do"; "the number of parameters is small"; "the figure was about a thousand" minority - being or relating to the smaller in number of two parts; "when the vote was taken they were in the minority"; "he held a minority position" |
| 2. | majority - (elections) more than half of the votes election - a vote to select the winner of a position or political office; "the results of the election will be announced tonight" relative quantity - a quantity relative to some purpose | |
| 3. |  majority - the age at which persons are considered competent to manage their own affairseld, age - a time of life (usually defined in years) at which some particular qualification or power arises; "she was now of school age"; "tall for his eld" |
majority
Translations
majority [məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ]
A. N
1. → mayoría f
a two-thirds majority → una mayoría de las dos terceras partes
they won by a majority → ganaron por mayoría
in the majority of cases → en la mayoría or la mayor parte de los casos
such people are in a majority → la mayoría de la gente es así, predomina la gente así
to be in a majority of three → formar parte de una mayoría de tres
the vast majority → la inmensa mayoría
the great majority of lecturers → la mayoría or la mayor parte de los conferenciantes
a two-thirds majority → una mayoría de las dos terceras partes
they won by a majority → ganaron por mayoría
in the majority of cases → en la mayoría or la mayor parte de los casos
such people are in a majority → la mayoría de la gente es así, predomina la gente así
to be in a majority of three → formar parte de una mayoría de tres
the vast majority → la inmensa mayoría
the great majority of lecturers → la mayoría or la mayor parte de los conferenciantes
2. (Jur) to attain one's majority → llegar a la mayoría de edad
B. CPD majority decision N by a majority decision → por decisión mayoritaria or de la mayoría
majority interest N → interés m mayoritario
majority rule N → gobierno m mayoritario, gobierno m en mayoría
majority (share)holding N → accionariado m mayoritario
majority verdict N by a majority verdict → por fallo or veredicto mayoritario
majority vote N by a majority vote → por la mayoría de los votos
Singular or plural verb?
When mayoría is the subject of a verb, the verb can be in the singular or the plural, depending on the context.
majority interest N → interés m mayoritario
majority rule N → gobierno m mayoritario, gobierno m en mayoría
majority (share)holding N → accionariado m mayoritario
majority verdict N by a majority verdict → por fallo or veredicto mayoritario
majority vote N by a majority vote → por la mayoría de los votos
MAJORITY, MOST
Singular or plural verb?
When mayoría is the subject of a verb, the verb can be in the singular or the plural, depending on the context.
• When translating majority rather than most, put the verb in the singular if majority is seen as a unit rather than a collection of individuals:
The socialist majority voted against the four amendments La mayoría socialista votó en contra de las cuatro enmiendas• If la mayoría is seen as a collection of individuals, particularly when it is followed by de + ((PLURAL NOUN)), the plural form of the verb is more common than the singular, though both are possible:
The majority still wear this uniform La mayoría siguen vistiendo or sigue vistiendo este uniforme Most scientists believe it is a mistake La mayoría de los científicos creen or cree que se trata de un error• The plural form must be used when la mayoría or la mayoría de + ((PLURAL NOUN)) is followed by ser or estar + ((plural complement)):
Most of them are men La mayoría son hombres Most of the dead were students La mayoría de los muertos eran estudiantes Most of the children were black La mayoría de los niños eran negrosmajority [məˈdʒɒrɪti]
n
the majority of (= most of) → la majorité de
the majority of my patients → la majorité de mes patients
the vast majority of ... → la quasi totalité de ...
the majority of my patients → la majorité de mes patients
the vast majority of ... → la quasi totalité de ...
modif [holding] → majoritaire; [view, vote] → majoritaire
majority decision n → décision f à la majorité
majority opinion n (US) → arrêtdes votes des juges)m rendu à la majorité >
majority rule n → règle f de la majorité
majority shareholding n → participation f majoritaire, participation f de contrôle
majority verdict n [jury] → verdict m rendu à la majorité
major key n → ton m majeur
major league n (US) (SPORT) → première division f
major-league [ˌmeɪdʒərˈliːg]
majority decision n → décision f à la majorité
majority opinion n (US) → arrêt
majority rule n → règle f de la majorité
majority shareholding n → participation f majoritaire, participation f de contrôle
majority verdict n [jury] → verdict m rendu à la majorité
major key n → ton m majeur
major league n (US) (SPORT) → première division f
major-league [ˌmeɪdʒərˈliːg]
modif [team, baseball, game] → de première division
adj (= top-rank) → de premier ordre
majority
majority:
n
→ Mehrheit f; the majority of cases → die Mehrheit or Mehrzahl der Fälle; to be in a or the majority → in der Mehrzahl sein; to be in a majority of 3 → eine Mehrheit von 3 Stimmen haben; to have/get a majority → die Mehrheit haben/bekommen; to have a majority of 10 → eine Mehrheit von 10 Stimmen haben; what was his majority? → wie groß war seine Mehrheit?; a two-thirds majority → die Zweidrittelmehrheit; by a small or narrow majority → mit knapper Mehrheit
(Jur) → Volljährigkeit f, → Mündigkeit f; to reach the age of majority → volljährig or mündig werden
majority:
majority decision
n → Mehrheitsbeschluss m
majority holding
n (Fin) → Mehrheitsbeteiligung f
majority rule
n → Mehrheitsregierung f
majority [məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ]
majority [məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ]
1. n
a. → maggioranza
the majority of people → la maggior parte della gente
elected by a majority of two → eletto con una maggioranza di due voti
to be in the majority → essere in maggioranza
the majority of people → la maggior parte della gente
elected by a majority of two → eletto con una maggioranza di due voti
to be in the majority → essere in maggioranza
b. (Law) the age of majority → la maggiore età
2. adj (verdict) → maggioritario/a; (government) → di maggioranza
majority [məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ]
1. n
a. → maggioranza
the majority of people → la maggior parte della gente
elected by a majority of two → eletto con una maggioranza di due voti
to be in the majority → essere in maggioranza
the majority of people → la maggior parte della gente
elected by a majority of two → eletto con una maggioranza di due voti
to be in the majority → essere in maggioranza
b. (Law) the age of majority → la maggiore età
2. adj (verdict) → maggioritario/a; (government) → di maggioranza
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