[ma.jor] adj [ME maiour, fr. L major, compar. of magnus great, large--more at much] (15c) 1: greater in dignity, rank, importance, or interest "one of the ~ poets"
2: greater in number, quantity, or extent "the ~ part of his work"
3: having attained majority
4: notable or conspicuous in effect or scope: considerable "a ~ improvement"
5: involving grave risk: serious "a ~ illness"
6: of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization
7. a: having half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees "~ scale" b: based on a major scale "~ key" c: equivalent to the distance between the keynote and another tone (except the fourth and fifth) of a major scale "~ third" d: having a major third above the root "~ triad"
[2]major n (1616) 1: a person who has attained majority
2. a: one that is superior in rank, importance, size, or performance "economic power of the oil ~s" b: a major musical interval, scale, key, or mode
3: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps ranking above a captain and below a lieutenant colonel
4. a: an academic subject chosen as a field of specialization b: a student specializing in such a field "a history ~"
5. pl: major league baseball--used with the [3]major vi (1913): to pursue an academic major