major

of greater importance or stature or rank

• “a major artist”
• “a major role”
• “major highways”

greater in scope or effect

• “a major contribution”
• “a major improvement”
• “a major break with tradition”
• “a major misunderstanding”

greater in number or size or amount

• “a major portion (a majority) of the population”
• “Ursa Major”
• “a major portion of the winnings”

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

• “his major field was mathematics”

of a scale or mode

• “major scales”
• “the key of D major”

of greater seriousness or danger

• “a major earthquake”
• “a major hurricane”
• “a major illness”

of full legal age

• “major children”

of the elder of two boys with the same family name

• “Jones major”

a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines; below lieutenant colonel and above captain

British statesman who was prime minister from 1990 until 1997 (born in 1943)

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

• “she is a linguistics major”

the principal field of study of a student at a university

• “her major is linguistics”

have as one''s principal field of study

• “She is majoring in linguistics”