majority
majority Lexical Profile
majority Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The greater number or part of a group, class, or total; specifically, a number representing more than half of a whole.
"A large majority of the committee members voted to approve the new budget."
In elections or parliamentary voting, the number by which votes cast for one candidate, party, or proposal exceed those cast for the next highest competitor or for all other competitors combined.
"The governing party won the election with a comfortable majority of forty seats."
The legal age or status at which a person is recognized by law as a full adult, entitled to manage their own affairs and exercise full civil rights.
"The trust fund will be held by the bank until the beneficiary reaches the age of majority."
The rank, office, or commission of a major in the armed forces.
"He attained his majority after ten years of distinguished service in the infantry."
Word Nuance & Usage
In formal and legal usage, 'majority' strictly means more than half of a total (over 50%), whereas 'plurality' refers to the largest share when no single option receives more than half. Furthermore, when 'the majority of' precedes a plural noun, it normally takes a plural verb (e.g., 'The majority of students are present').
• Rhymes for majority
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Middle French 'majorité', which derives from Medieval Latin 'majoritas', from Latin 'maior' ('greater'), the comparative form of 'magnus' ('great' or 'large').