major

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   greater in number or size or amount

   a major portion (a majority) of the population

2. 2
   adj

   greater in scope or effect

   a major contribution

3. 3
   adj

   of a scale or mode

   major scales

4. 4
   adj

   of the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializes

   My major field was mathematics.

5. 5
   adj

   of greater importance or stature or rank

   a major artist

6. 6
   adj

   of greater seriousness or danger

   a major earthquake

7. 7
   noun

   the principal field of study of a student at a university

   My major is linguistics.

8. 8
   noun

   a university student who is studying a particular field as the principal subject

   I am a major in liguistics.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs Proto-Italic *magjōs Latin maiorder. Middle English major English major From Middle English major, from Latin maior, comparative of magnus (“great, large; noble, important”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂yōs (“greater”), comparative of *meǵh₂- (“great”). Compare West Frisian majoar (“major”), Dutch majoor (“major”), French majeur. Doublet of mayor. Noun sense 1 is a shortening of sergeant major, perhaps after Spanish mayor in the same sense.