majority

noun

Save Word

ma·jor·i·ty | \ mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē

, -ˈjär- \

plural majorities

Definition of majority

1a : 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

2a : 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

Other Words from majority Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about majority

Keep scrolling for more

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 Currently, a majority of the airport’s pollution — which, again, does not count the enormous emissions from airplanes — comes from vehicles. — Mallory Moench, SFChronicle.com, "San Jose airport eyes expansion, but climate concerns loom," 14 Jan. 2020 The White House is confident that Democrats will not be able to muster the two-thirds majority needed to remove him from office. — Rob Crilly, Washington Examiner, "Win and move on: White House focused on exoneration in Senate trial and little else," 14 Jan. 2020 This past weekend, an ABC News/Ipsos poll showed that a majority of Americans agree with the Democrats: fifty-two per cent of the respondents to the poll said that killing Suleimani made America less safe. — John Cassidy, The New Yorker, "Trump Turns to McCarthyite Attacks as His Suleimani Story Crumbles," 14 Jan. 2020 Last year, all five members of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority expressed a willingness to revisit the doctrine. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Plot to Level the Administrative State," 14 Jan. 2020 DP World, which is majority-owned by the Dubai government in the United Arab Emirates, operates nearly 80 marine and inland terminals around the world. — Washington Post, "DP World wins ruling against Djibouti over seized port," 14 Jan. 2020 Republicans would need to flip at least one Democrat to get a majority to remove people from the rolls. — Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Judge finds Wisconsin elections commissioners in contempt of court, orders them to quickly remove people from the rolls," 13 Jan. 2020 Under a scenario where Biden loses Iowa, Silver gives Biden only a 20 percent chance of a delegate majority, with Sanders’s odds of becoming the nominee going up to 40 percent. — John Fund, National Review, "Democrats No Longer Dismiss Bernie Sanders’s Odds," 12 Jan. 2020 Tsai Ing-wen's party also keeps a parliamentary majority HER VICTORY was expected but not, perhaps, its margin. — The Economist, "Tsai win-win In a blow to China, Taiwan's president coasts to a second term," 11 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'majority.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about majority

Dictionary Entries near majority

Statistics for majority

Last Updated

17 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Majority.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/majority. Accessed 23 January 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for majority

majority

noun

English Language Learners Definition of majority

: a number that is greater than half of a total

: a number of votes that is more than half of the total number

: the group or party that is the greater part of a large group

See the full definition for majority in the English Language Learners Dictionary

majority

noun

ma·jor·i·ty | \ mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē

plural majorities

Kids Definition of majority

1 : a number greater than half of a total

2 : a group or party that makes up the greater part of a whole body of people The majority chose a leader.

3 : the amount by which a number is more than half the total She won the election by a majority of 200 votes.

4 : the age at which a person has the full rights of an adult

majority

noun

ma·jor·i·ty | \ mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē

plural majorities

Legal Definition of majority

1a : legal age

b : the status of one who has reached legal age

2a : a number or quantity greater than half of a total — compare plurality

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

3a : 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

Keep scrolling for more