Unnumbered source etymology
Original entry ↗Used in a phrasal verb: major in.
A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel. · An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier. · A person of legal age. · Ellipsis of major key.
Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest. · Greater in number, quantity, or extent. · Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope. · Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *méǵyōs Proto-Italic *majjōs 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.
Relationships mentioned by the source
These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.
This page abbreviates 25 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
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"expansion": "Latin maior"
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"An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier.",
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"Ellipsis of major key."
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"Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree."
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