# major

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈmeɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #504

## Definitions
1. Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
2. Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
3. Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.
4. Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
5. Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.
6. Of full legal age, having attained majority.
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)
9. Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval. (of an interval)
10. Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval. (of an interval)
11. (of a key) Based on a major scale, tending to produce a bright or joyful effect.
12. Bell changes rung on eight bells.
13. Indicating the elder of two brothers (or the eldest of three), appended to a surname in public schools.
14. Occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism. (of a term)
15. Containing the major term in a categorical syllogism. (of a premise)

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **mar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mar)
- **mao** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mao)
- **MOR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mor)
- **mayo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mayo)
- **moor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-moor)
- **mojo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mojo)
- **Marr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-marr)
- **mako** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mako)
- **mano** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mano)
- **malo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-malo)
- **Mawr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mawr)
- **mayor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mayor)
- **minor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-minor)
- **motor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-motor)
- **maker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-maker)
- **mason** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mason)
- **manor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-manor)
- **Mayer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mayer)
- **mater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-mater)
- **Maori** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/major-vs-maori)

## Common misspellings (7)
`amjor`, `majjor`, `majorr`, `majro`, `maojr`, `mjaor`, `mmajor`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/major