majorité

See also: majorite, Majorite, and mâjorité

French

Etymology

From Medieval Latin māiōritātem, accusative singular of māiōritās.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.ʒɔ.ʁi.te/

• audio:

  (file)

Noun

majorité f (plural majorités)

1. majority (more than half)

   Synonym: la plupart

   Antonym: minorité

   La majorité des citoyens luxembourgeois ont comme langue maternelle le luxembourgeois.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   On pense que la majorité des Céphéides classiques pulsent selon le mode fondamental, bien qu’il ne soit pas facile de distinguer le mode d’après la forme de la courbe de lumière.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. adulthood (legal)

Derived terms

• majorité absolue
• majorité qualifiée
• majorité sexuelle

 

Usage notes

While its near synonym la plupart defers grammatical agreement of verbs, adjectives, etc. to the noun to which it is related, majorité allows agreement with its related nominal or with itself. Each option carries its own nuance of meaning.

Further reading

• “majorité”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• mijotera