major
[ˈmeɪ̯d͡ʒə(ɹ)]adjective, noun, verb
major is spelled M-A-J-O-R: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 200 times per million words in written English, the 505th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, major means “Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in major?
| Letters | 5: M-A-J-O-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 200 times per million words; the 505th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is major?
Major appears 200 times per million words in written English, the 505th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce major?
- /ˈmeɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/
- UK [ˈmeɪ̯d͡ʒə(ɹ)]
- British [ˈmɛjd͡ʒə(ɹ)]
Major has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-major.ogg, En-au-major.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of major
- more major comparative
- most major superlative
- majors plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- majoring participle, present
- majored participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does major mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
- 2
Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
the major part of the assembly
- 3
Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.
The building underwent a major renovation.
- 4
Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
to earn some major cash
- 5
Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.
to suffer from a major illness
- 6
Of full legal age, having attained majority.
major children
- 7
Of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization.
- 8
Having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees. (of a scale)
major scale
noun
- 1
A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.
He used to be a major in the army.
- 2
An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier.
- 3
A person of legal age.
- 4
Ellipsis of major key.
- 5
Ellipsis of major interval.
- 6
Ellipsis of major scale.
- 7
A system of change-ringing using eight bells.
- 8
A large, commercially successful company, especially a record label that is bigger than an indie.
verb
- 1
Used in a phrasal verb: major in.
noun
- 1
Title for an army officer with the rank of major.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate major?
Wiktionary records 2 abbreviations of major: Maj., maj..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Major in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | majeur, de taille, très important , plus grand, plus important , commandant |
| German | bedeutend, wichtig , Major , volljährig , dur , Volljährige |
| Portuguese | maior, principal, mor , major , maior de idade , especializar-se |
| Spanish | significativo, mayúsculo, protagónico, grosso, groso, rotundo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does major come from?
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.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).