WordWeb Online

1. Of greater importance, 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, size or amount
   "Ursa Major"; "a major portion of the winnings"; "a major portion (a majority) of the population"
    
4. [Brit] Of the elder of two boys with the same family name
   "Jones major"
    
5. [N. Amer, Austral, NZ] Of the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializes
   "his major field was mathematics"
    
6. (of a scale or mode) having half steps between the third and fourth degrees and the seventh and eighth degrees
   "major scales"; "the key of D major"
    
7. Of greater seriousness or danger
   "a major earthquake"; "a major hurricane"; "a major illness"
    
8. (law) of full legal age

1. (military) 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: majors, majored, majoring

See also: better, bulk, leading, lion's share [informal], majority, most, most important, prima, senior, star, starring, stellar [informal]

Type of: bailiwick, commissioned military officer, discipline, educatee, field, field of study, national leader, PM, premier, Prime Minister, pupil, statesman, statesperson, student, study, subject, subject area, subject field

Antonym: minor, underage

Part of: Conservative Party, Tory Party

Encyclopedia: Major, Richard