majority

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Antonyms 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Related terms 1.3.4 Translations

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Pronunciation

•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Etymology

From Middle French majorité.

[edit] Noun

majority (plural majorities)

1. More than half (50%) of some group

   The majority agreed that the new proposal was the best.

   • 1920, Champ Clark, Democratic Achievement:

     But in 1912 the American people gave the Democrats another opportunity, and under the leadership of Woodrow Wilson we swept the country from sea to sea. At the end of that historic contest we had the Presidency, the Senate by a working majority, and the House by an overwhelming majority.

2. The difference between the winning vote and the rest of the votes

   The winner with 53% had a 6% majority over the loser with 47%.

3. (dated) Legal adulthood

   By the time I reached my majority, I had already been around the world twice.

4. (UK) The office held by a member of the armed forces in the rank of major

   On receiving the news of his promotion, Charles Snodgrass said he was delighted to be entering his majority.

[edit] Antonyms

• (more than half): minority

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Related terms

• major

[edit] Translations