Definition of majority
majorities
1 obsolete : the quality or state of being greater
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
3a : a number or percentage equaling more than half of a total a majority of voters a two-thirds majorityb : the excess of a majority over the remainder of the total : margin won by a majority of 10 votesc : the greater quantity or share the majority of the time
4 : the group or political party having the greater number of votes (as in a legislature)
5 : the military office, rank, or commission of a major majorities and colonelcies were thick as June blackberries — Dixon Wecter
majority
adjectiveRead the Latest from M-W
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 of majority from the Web
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Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, always sensitive to the coal fields in his state, rose through the ranks to become majority leader.
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The majority of the people who complained — 94 percent — said they were victimized by derogatory, rude or discriminatory comments from a border or immigration officer, while 27 percent reported physical force was used against them.
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That would trigger a lengthy process involving several rounds of voting in both houses, with two-thirds majorities in both houses needed to find Temer guilty of wrongdoing.
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The vast majority of the challenge is about nurturing more resilient souls.
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And Ailes was never named as a defendant in the majority of suits brought in the last year by employees, former employees and others affiliated with the network.
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Having the majority of profits come from international receipts is not worrying Walt Disney Studios.
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Democrats would have to pick up 24 seats in next year’s elections to retake the House majority.
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The bill cleared the Legislature last week with support from the Republican majorities in the House and Senate and opposition from most Democrats.
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.
1552
First Known Use of majority
1552
MAJORITY Defined for English Language Learners
majority
playDefinition of majority for English Language Learners
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: a number that is greater than half of a total
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: a number of votes that is more than half of the total number
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: the group or party that is the greater part of a large group
MAJORITY Defined for Kids
majority
playDefinition of majority for Students
majorities
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
Law Dictionary
majority
playLegal Definition of majority
majorities
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 3
majority
adjectiveLearn More about majority
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See words that rhyme with majority Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for majority Spanish Central: Translation of majority Nglish: Translation of majority for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of majority for Arabic speakers
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