What does "majority" mean?
More than half (50%) of some group.
Majority
/məˈd͡ʒɒ.ɹɪti/ noun
noun ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: More than half (50%) of some group.
- Grammar: majority is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: bulk, absolute majority, accomplishment, adulthood.
- Useful contrasts: ethnic community members, minor status, remnant group.
- Usage evidence: A democrat is a free citizen who yields to the will of the majority.
How to use "majority"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "majority" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "majority" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "majority" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "majority" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "majority" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bulk" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "majority", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 More than half (50%) of some group. countable, uncountable
"The majority agreed that the new proposal was the best."
- 2 the property resulting from being or relating to the greater in number of two parts; the main part wordnet
- 3 In a parliament or legislature, the difference in seats between the ruling party and the opposition; (UK) in an election, the difference in votes between the winning candidate and the second-place candidate, or between the winning candidate and all of the other candidates combined. countable, uncountable
"The ruling party had a narrow three-seat majority in the legislature."
- 4 (elections) more than half of the votes wordnet
- 5 Legal adulthood, age of majority. countable, dated, uncountable
"By the time I reached my majority, I had already been around the world twice."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 the age at which persons are considered competent to manage their own affairs wordnet
- 7 The office held by a member of the armed forces in the rank of major. UK, countable, uncountable
"On receiving the news of his promotion, Charles Snodgrass said he was delighted to be entering his majority."
- 8 Ancestors; ancestry. countable, uncountable
"Of evil parents an evil generation, a posterity not unlike their majority; of mischievous progenitors, a venomous and destructive progeny."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
ethnic community membersminor statusremnant groupsmall remnant population
Example
"A democrat is a free citizen who yields to the will of the majority."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "majority"?
Common synonyms include: bulk, absolute majority, accomplishment, adulthood, adultness, age of consent.
How do you use "majority" in a sentence?
A democrat is a free citizen who yields to the will of the majority.
How do you pronounce "majority"?
Pronounced /məˈd͡ʒɒ.ɹɪti/.
Etymology
From Middle French maiorité, from Medieval Latin maiōritātem, accusative of Latin maiōritās, from Latin maior (“greater”). Morphologically major + -ity.