majority
noun
ma·jor·i·ty
mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē 
-ˈjär-
plural majorities
1
a
: a number or percentage equaling more than half of a total
a majority of voters
a two-thirds majority
b
: the excess of a majority over the remainder of the total : margin
won by a majority of 10 votes
c
: the greater quantity or share
the majority of the time
2
a
: the age at which full civil rights are accorded
The age of majority in the U.S. is 18.
b
: the status of one who has attained this age
graduated … before he had attained his majority—
W. L. Burrage
W. L. Burrage3
: the group or political party having the greater number of votes (as in a legislature)
4
: the military office, rank, or commission of a major
majorities and colonelcies were thick as June blackberries—Dixon Wecter
Dixon Wecter5
obsolete
: the quality or state of being greater
majority
adjective
Examples of majority in a Sentence
A clear majority of the voters support the policy.
The Republicans are currently the majority in the Senate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Along with key races in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Arizona, the GOP performance in California helped push the party over the 218-seat marker to win a majority of seats in the House.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
Circuit Judge Michael Brennan, writing for the majority, rejected both arguments.
—Reuters, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Deposits grew to $4.6 billion, with interest-bearing deposits accounting for the majority of the increase.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Researchers from Google tried to address this mismatch by leaning on something already owned by a majority of the world’s population: mobile phones.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for majority 
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Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
Circuit Judge Michael Brennan, writing for the majority, rejected both arguments.
—Reuters, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Deposits grew to $4.6 billion, with interest-bearing deposits accounting for the majority of the increase.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
Researchers from Google tried to address this mismatch by leaning on something already owned by a majority of the world’s population: mobile phones.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for majority
Articles Related to majority
Dictionary Entries Near majority
Cite this Entry
“Majority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/majority. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
majority
noun
ma·jor·i·ty
mə-ˈjȯr-ət-ē
-ˈjär-
plural majorities
1
a
: the age at which one is given full civil rights
b
: the status of one who has reached this age
2
a
: a number or percentage greater than half of a total
b
: the amount by which such a number exceeds the smaller number
won by a majority of seven
3
: the group or party that makes up the greater part of a whole body of persons
the majority in the senate
4
: the military office or rank of a major
Legal Definition
majority
noun
ma·jor·i·ty
mə-ˈjȯr-ə-tē
plural majorities
1
a
b
: the status of one who has reached legal age
2
a
: a number or quantity greater than half of a total compare plurality
b
: the excess of a majority over the remainder of the total
3
a
: the group or political party whose votes predominate
b
: the judges voting in a particular case who together determine the prevailing decision see also majority opinion at opinion compare dissent sense 3
majority
adjective
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