major

CEFRA2

/ˈmeɪ.d͡ʒə(ɹ)/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Very important, large, or serious.

  2. 02

    noun

    A military officer above captain.

Examples

  • Tension is a major cause of heart disease.

  • The activation of several target genes results in two major effects.

At a glance

Sits at A2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
4
Synonyms
3

Also pronounced

  • [ˈmæɪ̯d͡ʒə(ɹ)]
  • [ˈmɛjd͡ʒə(ɹ)]

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Greater in number, quantity, or extent.

  2. Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.

  3. Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.

More examples

In context

  • The five major religions are Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

  • The three major religions are Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

  • What's your major field?

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

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Nearby

Origin

adjective

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.