majority

noun

ma·​jor·​i·​ty mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē 

-ˈjär-

plural majorities

1

a

: a number or percentage equaling more than half of a total

a majority of voters

a two-thirds majority

b

: the excess of a majority over the remainder of the total : margin

won by a majority of 10 votes

c

: the greater quantity or share

the majority of the time

2

a

: the age at which full civil rights are accorded

The age of majority in the U.S. is 18.

b

: the status of one who has attained this age

graduated … before he had attained his majority

—W. L. Burrage

3

: the group or political party having the greater number of votes (as in a legislature)

4

: the military office, rank, or commission of a major

majorities and colonelcies were thick as June blackberries

—Dixon Wecter

5

obsolete : the quality or state of being greater

majority adjective

Synonyms

• bulk
• generality
• lion's share
• mass
• preponderance

Examples of majority in a Sentence

A clear majority of the voters support the policy.

The Republicans are currently the majority in the Senate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor who has written extensively about the case, said the government could win over a majority in this case if enough justices adhere to the plain language of the text. —Ann E. Marimow, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024

In a majority of his visits to the New York courtrooms, Trump made sure to speak to the press assembled outside the courtroom. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024

But a funny thing happened on the way to a Democratic majority. —David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024

She’s not cowed by the polls saying a majority of Republicans believe that Joe Biden's election win in 2020 was not legitimate. —Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 12 Apr. 2024

The majority of the play takes place in a home where three generations of a family have been drawn together by a variety of trying issues. —David Lyman, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024

Allies are people with a majority identity (across any social identity, like gender, race, culture, and socioeconomic status) who stand up for those with minority identities and seek to address discrimination. —Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024

District leaders say the majority of those bus riders are students of color. —Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024

Daybell, a father of five, spent the majority of his life in Utah before moving his family to eastern Idaho in 2015. —Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Phrases Containing majority

• in the majority
• majority leader
• majority rule
• the great majority of
• the silent majority
• tyranny of the majority

Kids Definition

majority

noun

ma·​jor·​i·​ty mə-ˈjȯr-ət-ē 

-ˈjär-

plural majorities

1

a

: the age at which one is given full civil rights

b

: the status of one who has reached this age

2

a

: a number or percentage greater than half of a total

b

: the amount by which such a number exceeds the smaller number

won by a majority of seven

3

: the group or party that makes up the greater part of a whole body of persons

the majority in the senate

4

: the military office or rank of a major

Legal Definition

majority

noun

ma·​jor·​i·​ty mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē 

plural majorities

1

a

: legal age

b

: the status of one who has reached legal age

2

a

: a number or quantity greater than half of a total compare plurality

b

: the excess of a majority over the remainder of the total

3

a

: the group or political party whose votes predominate

b

: the judges voting in a particular case who together determine the prevailing decision see also majority opinion at opinion compare dissent sense 3

majority adjective