WordWeb Online

1. Of greater importance or stature or rank
   "a major artist"; "a major role"; "major highways"
    
2. Greater in scope or effect
   "a major contribution"; "a major improvement"; "a major break with tradition"; "a major misunderstanding"
    
3. Greater in number or size or amount
   "a major portion (a majority) of the population"; "Ursa Major"; "a major portion of the winnings"
    
4. [N. Amer, Austral, NZ] Of the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializes
   "his major field was mathematics"
    
5. Of a scale or mode
   "major scales"; "the key of D major"
    
6. Of greater seriousness or danger
   "a major earthquake"; "a major hurricane"; "a major illness"
    
7. Of full legal age
    
8. [Brit] Of the elder of two boys with the same family name
   "Jones major"

1. A commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines; below lieutenant colonel and above captain
    
2. [N. Amer, Austral, NZ] A university student who is studying a particular field as the principal subject
   "she is a linguistics major"
    
3. [N. Amer, Austral, NZ] The principal field of study of a student at a university
   "her major is linguistics"

1. Have as one's principal field of study
   "She is majoring in linguistics"

1. British statesman who was prime minister from 1990 until 1997 (born in 1943)
   - John Major, John R. Major, John Roy Major

Derived forms: majoring, majored, majors

See also: better, bulk, leading, majority, prima, senior, star, starring, stellar

Type of: bailiwick, commissioned military officer, discipline, educatee, field, field of study, national leader, pupil, solon, statesman, student, study, subject, subject area, subject field

Antonym: minor

Encyclopedia: Major, John Major Major, Saskatchewan Major, John Roy