major

Universal Words adjective, noun, verb adjective 1 [usuallybeforenoun] very large or important: a major road * major international companies * to play a major role in sth * We have encountered major problems. * There were calls for major changes to the welfare system. OPPMINOR 2 [notbeforenoun] (AmE, spoken) serious: Never mind-it's not major. 3 (music) based on a SCALE (= a series of eight notes) in which the third note is two whole TONES/STEPS higher than the first note: the key of D major compareMINOR 4 (AmE) related to sb's main subject of study in college noun 1 [C] (abbreviation Maj.) an officer of fairly high rank in the army or the US air force: Major Smith * He's a major in the US army. seealsoDRUMMAJOR, SERGEANTMAJOR 2 [C] (AmE) the main subject or course of a student at college or university: Her major is French. compareMINOR 3 [C] (AmE) a student studying a particular subject as the main part of their course: She's a French major. 4 [U] (music) a major key or scale: to change from major to minor 5 (the majors) [pl.] (AmE, sport) the MAJORLEAGUES verb PHRASALVERBS major in sth (AmE) to study sth as your main subject at a university or college: She majored in History at Stanford. major on sth (BrE) to pay particular attention to one subject, issue, etc.