WordGarden.iomajority
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /mədʒˈɒrɪtˌi/
US
- /məˈdʒɔrəti/
Meanings
Noun
the larger number or part of a group; more than half
the larger voting bloc or seat count that gives political control
the legal status or age of being an adult rather than a minor
Beyond the definition
The majority is the greater part of a whole, especially more than half. Think about voting: the candidate who gets the majority of votes wins the election. It does not mean that everyone agrees, only that more people support one side than the other. You might talk about the "majority opinion" when describing what most people think, or a "large majority" to show a very strong lead. Sometimes, the word is also used in law, as in the age of majority, which means the age when a person legally becomes an adult.
Imagine a classroom full of students deciding what game to play. If more than half of them want to play tag, then there is a majority for tag. That is the core idea behind this word: the larger number or part of a group.
The majority is not the same as all; it means "more than half." In politics, a majority vote is often needed to pass laws, showing that most lawmakers support the proposal. But the idea goes far beyond government. You can talk about "the majority of people" who prefer coffee over tea, or "a large majority" to show very strong support for an idea.
Interestingly, "majority" isn't always about counting heads in a crowd. It also refers to the legal status of adulthood. When a person reaches the age of majority (usually 18), they are considered legally responsible for their own actions and gain rights like the ability to sign contracts.
There are also some useful details to know. A simple majority means anything over half, while a qualified majority or supermajority (such as two-thirds) requires a higher level of agreement. Whether you are talking about votes, opinions, legal standing, or parts of a whole, the majority is the larger part: the side with the most people, support, or influence.
Examples
- 1
Student choice
The majority of students chose the online course.
- 2
Common cases
In the majority of cases, the problem can be fixed in a few minutes.
- 3
Election support
A large majority of voters supported the new law.
- 4
Vote result
The proposal passed by a narrow majority.
- Phraseby a majority
with more votes for it than against it
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Election control
No party won an overall majority in the election.
- Domainin politics, overall majority
enough seats to control a vote without help from other parties
- 6
Group size
For once, people who work from home were in the majority at the meeting.
- Phrasein the majority
forming the larger group
- 7
Shared opinion
The majority opinion was that the deadline should be moved.
- 8
Legal adulthood
In many countries, people reach the age of majority at 18.
- Domainin law, age of majority
the age when someone is legally treated as an adult
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- majoritynounadjective
Forms
- majoritiespluralnounadjective