Meaning & use
major
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Greater in importance, size, number, or seriousness than most others of the same kind.
Grammar: No *majorer; for comparison use more important or use major only for clear categories.
Patterns
- major problem
- major cause
- major decision
- play a major role
Climate change is a major challenge for coastal cities.
A major cause of the delay was missing equipment.
She played a major role in designing the survey.
nouncountableAmerican
A student's main field of study at a college or university.
Grammar: Especially American English; often paired with minor for a secondary field.
Patterns
- declare a major
- Her major is biology
- change majors
Her major is biology, with a minor in statistics.
He declared a major in economics after the first year.
Many students change majors before graduation.
verbintransitiveAmerican
To study a subject as one's main field at a college or university.
Grammar: Takes in, not a direct object: major in chemistry.
Patterns
- major in something
- major in biology
- decide to major in…
She plans to major in computer science.
He majored in history and later studied law.
Students may major in one field while taking courses in another.
nouncountablemilitary
A military officer ranking above captain and below lieutenant colonel.
Grammar: Used as a title before a surname: Major Chen.
Patterns
- Major Chen
- promoted to major
- a major in the army
Major Chen inspected the equipment before dawn.
He was promoted to major after ten years of service.
The major briefed the volunteers on safety procedures.
Common combinations
- major problem/issue
- The team identified one major issue before launch.
- major in biology
- She wants to major in biology and work in public health.
- play a major role
- Local libraries play a major role in language learning.
Synonyms and how they differ
- significant
- Significant means important or noticeable; major often implies one of the largest or most serious categories.
- main
- Main stresses centrality; major can compare importance across many items.
- chief
- Chief means leading or most important, often for a person or purpose.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: major or miner? major or minor?
major vs miner
Miner is a person who works in a mine; major differs in spelling, sound, and meaning.
major vs minor
Minor is the direct opposite in rank, importance, or academic field.
Practice
Which sentence uses “major” correctly?
Choose one answer.
A military rank uses “a major,” so the sentence is correct. “Major in biology” needs in, “majorly minor” is contradictory in formal use, and “major idea” clashes with “tiny.”
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “major”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.