1. singular noun [with singular or plural verb, usually singular]
The majority of people or things in a group is more than half of them.
The majority of my patients come to me from out of town.
The vast majority of our cheeses are made with pasteurised milk. [+ of]
As a fuel it is preferred by top chefs and is used in the majority of British homes.
Still, a majority continue to support the treaty.
See in a majority/in the majority
2. countable noun
A majority is the difference between the number of votes or seats in parliament or legislature that the winner gets in an election, and the number of votes or seats that the next person or party gets.
Members of Parliament approved the move by a majority of ninety-nine.
According to most opinion polls, he is set to win a clear majority.
The Trust's annual meeting has decided by a narrow majority to ban deer hunting.
Synonyms: margin, landslide More Synonyms of majority
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Majority is used to describe opinions, decisions, and systems of government that are supported by more than half the people involved.
...her continuing disagreement with the majority view.
A majority vote of 75% is required from shareholders for the plan to go ahead.
4. uncountable noun [oft with poss]
Majority is the state of legally being an adult. In Britain and most states in the United States, people reach their majority at the age of eighteen.
The age of majority in Romania is eighteen.
Once you reach your majority, you may do what you damned well please.
Synonyms: adulthood, maturity, age of consent, seniority More Synonyms of majority
5. See also absolute majority, moral majority
More Synonyms of majority
majority in British English
(məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1.
the greater number or part of something
the majority of the constituents
2.
(in an election) the number of votes or seats by which the strongest party or candidate beats the combined opposition or the runner-up
relative majority, absolute majority
3.
the largest party or group that votes together in a legislative or deliberative assembly
4.
the time of reaching or state of having reached full legal age, when a person is held competent to manage his or her own affairs, exercise civil rights and duties, etc
5.
the rank, office, or commission of major
6. euphemistic
the dead (esp in the phrases join the majority, goorpass over to the majority)
7. obsolete
the quality or state of being greater; superiority
8. (modifier)
of, involving, or being a majority
a majority decision
a majority verdict
9. in the majority
▶ USAGE The majority of can only refer to a number of things or people. When talking about an amount, most of should be used: most of (not the majority of) the harvest was saved
Word origin
C16: from Medieval Latin mājoritās, from major (adj)
majority in American English
(məˈdʒɔrəti; məˈdʒɑrəti)
nounWord forms: pluralmaˈjorities
1. [also with pl. v.]
the greater part or larger number; more than half of a total
2. US
the number by which the votes cast for the candidate, bill, etc. receiving more than half of the votes, exceed the remaining votes (Ex.: if candidate A gets 100 votes, candidate B, 50, and candidate C, 30, A has a majority of 20)
see also plurality (sense 4)
3.
the group, party, or faction with more than half of the votes
4.
the condition or time of having reached full legal age, with full legal rights andresponsibilities
5. Obsolete
the state or quality of being greater
6. Military
the rank or position of a major
Word origin
Fr majorité < ML majoritas < L major: see major
COBUILD Collocations
majority
comfortable majority
command a majority
large majority
law-abiding majority
outright majority
secure a majority
two-thirds majority
Examples of 'majority' in a sentence
majority
You voted in the referendum and a very clear majority decided to do just that.
The Sun (2016)
Although his party lacked a majority in the chamber he was used to wheeling and dealing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The vast majority will receive higher total pay.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The onus was clearly on those who wanted to make the change to win a majority of voters.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The majority of people in Britain are not saving enough for retirement.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Why does he think the majority voted Leave?
The Sun (2016)
It was a minority who went over the top, a majority who supported and enabled.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The idea that because majority public opinion is not at first on our side we must all lie down and accept it is just rubbish.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The government 's majority in the Commons is slender.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For the overwhelming majority of those who work in football management, it is indeed the merry-go-round of popular cliché.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These other groups that dispense unequal treatment to minority groups are usually called majority groups.
Sanderson, Stephen K. Macrosociology: An Introduction to Human Societies (1995)
There would always be people who formed majorities and minorities.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
It began to win large overall majorities in general elections.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
By a clear majority verdict it has done so.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We are working towards a majority government.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They are critical to its prospects of commanding a majority after the next election.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The regulator closes the overwhelming majority of its cases without using enforcement powers.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They will attempt to oust him if they win a majority at the election.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Single judgments for the majority opinion now also happen in some cases.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Voters know now that a majority for one party is not the only possible outcome.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
That was passed by a narrow majority.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He claimed that it did not have the support of the majority of staff at the venue.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The vast majority of prisoners have no interest in politics.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The majority of the group with the device said that they could continue to work with only mild irritation after two hours.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It has joined the majority of hospitals, ambulance and mental health trusts in financial arrears.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The vast majority of voters may not be following the minutiae of the Chilcot process.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The Chancellor has a majority in the assembly that votes for the president.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A majority of bishops voted against the change.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
That's a majority of 57%.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
majority
British English: majority /məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ/ NOUN
The majority of people or things in a group is more than half of them.
The majority of my patients come to me from out of town.
American English: majority
Arabic: أَغْلَبِيَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: maioria
Chinese: 多数
Croatian: većina
Czech: většina
Danish: flertal
Dutch: meerderheid
European Spanish: mayoría
Finnish: enemmistö
French: majorité
German: Mehrheit
Greek: πλειοψηφία
Italian: maggioranza
Japanese: 大部分
Korean: 대다수
Norwegian: flertall
Polish: większość
European Portuguese: maioria
Romanian: majoritate
Russian: большинство
Latin American Spanish: mayoría
Swedish: majoritet
Thai: ส่วนใหญ่
Turkish: büyük çoğunluk
Ukrainian: більшість
Vietnamese: phần lớn
Definition of 'majority'
Chinese translation of 'majority'
majority
(məˈdʒɔrɪtɪ)
n
(s + pl vb)[of people, things]大多数(數) (dàduōshù)
(c) (= margin)[of votes]多数(數)票 (duōshù piào)
(u) (= adulthood) 成年 (chéngnián)
cpd
[verdict, holding]多数(數) (duōshù)
to be in a or the majority占(佔)多数(數) (zhàn duōshù)
the (vast) majority of ... (绝(絕))大多数(數) ... ((jué) dàduōshù ... )
1 (noun)
Definition
the greater number or part of something
The majority of our customers come from out of town.
Synonyms
most
more
mass
The Second World War involved the mass of the population.
bulk
The vast bulk of imports and exports is carried by sea.
best part
better part
lion's share
Nuclear research has received the lion's share of public funding.
preponderance
The preponderance of the evidence strongly supports his guilt.
plurality
The party has retained a plurality of the votes.
greater number
2 (noun)
Definition
(in an election) the number of votes or seats by which the strongest party or candidate beats the combined opposition or the runner-up
They approved the move by a majority of ninety-nine.
Synonyms
margin
They could end up with a 50-point winning margin.
landslide
3 (noun)
Definition
the age at which a person legally becomes an adult
Once you reach your majority, you can do what you please.
Synonyms
adulthood
Few people maintain friendships into adulthood.
maturity
Humans experience a delayed maturity compared with other mammals.
age of consent
seniority
manhood or womanhood
Usage note
The majority of should always refer to a countable number of things or people. If you are talking about an amount or quantity, rather than a countable number, use most of, as in most of the harvest was saved (not the majority of the harvest was saved).
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bulk
Definition
the main part
The vast bulk of imports and exports is carried by sea.
Synonyms
majority,
mass,
most,
body,
quantity,
best part,
major part,
lion's share,
better part,
generality,
preponderance,
main part,
plurality,
nearly all,
greater number
in the sense of lion's share
Nuclear research has received the lion's share of public funding.
Synonyms
majority part,
most,
bulk,
greater part,
preponderance
in the sense of mass
Definition
the main part or majority
The Second World War involved the mass of the population.
Synonyms
majority,
body,
bulk,
best part,
greater part,
almost all,
lion's share,
preponderance
Synonyms of 'majority'
majority
Explore 'majority' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of maturity
Humans experience a delayed maturity compared with other mammals.
Synonyms
adulthood,
majority,
completion,
puberty,
coming of age,
fullness,
full bloom,
full growth,
pubescence,
manhood or womanhood
in the sense of plurality
Definition
a majority
The party has retained a plurality of the votes.
Synonyms
majority,
most,
mass,
bulk,
preponderance,
nearly all,
overwhelming number
in the sense of preponderance
The preponderance of the evidence strongly supports his guilt.