major

MAY-jur/ˈmeɪd͡ʒɚ/SayMAY-juhUK/ˈmeɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/[ˈmæɪ̯d͡ʒə(ɹ)]

Noun pluralmajors

Verbmajors, majoring, majored

28 meanings of major

Practice

1
adjectivebefore a noun
Very important, big, or serious.
Like the main road through a city: bigger and busier than the small side streets.
Money was a major reason for their argument.
Traffic is a major problem in big cities.
UsageSay play a major role in something.
Similarimportant, significant, big, key, leading
Oppositeminor, unimportant, insignificant
2
main subjectnounAustraliaCanadaNew ZealandUScountable
The main subject a student chooses to study at college.
Like choosing one subject to become really good at while in school.
Her major is biology.
He changed his major after the first year.
UsageSay my major is biology, or I major in biology.
Similarcourse
Oppositeminor
3
army officernouncountable
A military officer who ranks above a captain but below a lieutenant colonel.
Like a manager who stands above the workers but below the big boss.
The major gave the order to advance.
She was promoted to major after ten years of service.
UsageWrite Major with a capital before a name: Major Smith.
Note
4
adjectivebefore a noun
Larger in number or amount than the rest.
The major part of the job is already done.
We spent the major part of the day waiting.
UsageSay the major part of something.
Similarmain
Oppositeminor
5
college studentnounAustraliaCanadaNew ZealandUScountable
A student who has chosen a certain subject as their main study.
Like calling someone a 'piano student' because that is mainly what they learn.
She is a biology major.
Most history majors take a research class.
UsageSay a biology major.
Note
6
study mainlyverbintransitive
To study a subject as your main one at college.
She wants to major in history.
I plan to major in art next year.
UsageSay major in a subject.
Similarspecialize, concentrate
Oppositeminor
7
very seriousadjectivebefore a noun
Very serious and possibly putting someone's life in danger.
Like a big, dangerous operation instead of a small, simple one.
She needed major surgery on her heart.
The crash left him with major injuries.
UsageSay major surgery. The opposite is minor.
Similarserious, grave
Oppositeminor
Note

Less common meanings

8
adjective
In music, based on a scale that usually sounds bright and happy.
Like the difference between a happy, sunny song and a sad one.
The song is written in a major key, so it sounds cheerful.
They played the tune in a major key.
UsageSay C major, or a major key.
Oppositeminor
Note
9
nounabbreviationellipsis
Short for major key: a key in music that usually sounds bright and happy.
The sad song switches to major at the very end.
Is this song in major or minor?
UsageSay in G major.
Note
10
big companynouncountable
A big, successful company, especially a large music company.
Like a huge store chain compared with one small local shop.
The band signed with a major last year.
Most small labels hope to be bought by a major someday.
UsageOften plural, the majors, in contrast to smaller independent labels.
Oppositeindie
Note
11
subject-relatedadjective
Relating to the main subject a student chooses to study.
She met with her major adviser to plan next year's classes.
All his major courses are in chemistry.
UsagePut it before a noun: major courses.
12
band officernouncountable
The leader of a marching band or part of one, with a word like 'drum' or 'pipe' in front.
Like a team captain who leads just one group of players.
The drum major lifted his mace and the band stepped off.
The drum major led the parade down the main street.
UsageSay drum major. More than one are drum majors.
Note
13
adjective
In music, describes a gap between notes one half step wider than the minor one.
The interval from C up to A is a major sixth.
Sopranos often find the major seventh harder to pitch than a perfect octave.
Oppositeminor
Note
14
chord (music)adjective
In music, describes a bright-sounding chord whose third is four half steps above its root, the note the chord is named after.
Like the bright, cheerful sound of a happy song.
The hymn closes on a warm major chord.
Guitarists usually master the major chords before tackling the minor ones.
Oppositeminor
Note
15
interval (music)nounabbreviationellipsis
Short form of major interval. Use it for the wider of two gap sizes between notes.
She sang two thirds, and the major sounded brighter.
Of the two sixths he played, she could tell which one was the major.
Note
16
adjective
In logic, describing the broader term in an argument's conclusion, or the general statement that contains it.
The major premise claims that all metals conduct electricity.
She doubted the major premise long before questioning the conclusion.
Oppositeminor
Note
17
nounabbreviationellipsis
Short form of major premise. In logic, it is the broad statement an argument starts from.
The whole argument collapses because the major is false.
She attacked the major before touching the rest of the proof.
Note
18
elder brothernoundatedBritish
At older British schools, the elder of two brothers, with his surname put in front.
The masters always called him Pemberton major to avoid confusing the brothers.
Hughes major captained the cricket team that summer.
UsageUse Hughes minor for the younger brother.
Oppositeminor
Note
19
adjectiverare
Old enough by law to count as a full adult.
20
nounrare
A person who is old enough by law to count as an adult.
21
noun
Short for major suit: in bridge, hearts or spades.
22
nounCanadian
In Canadian football, a score worth six points, also called a touchdown.
23
noun
In Australian rules football, a goal worth six points.
24
noun
A large worker ant that guards a leaf-cutter colony and fights off attackers.
25
adjective
Describing bell ringing where eight bells keep changing the order they sound in.
26
adjectivedatedUK
Used after a last name at some British schools for the older brother.
27
noun
A way of ringing eight bells in changing orders.
28
nounobsolete
An old spelling of mayor.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of major apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin maior, meaning 'greater'. It came into English through Middle English.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Major derives from Latin maior, meaning greater. en.wiktionary.org
Modern English inherited the word through Middle English. en.wiktionary.org