majority
Use Majority in a sentence
ɪ noun, plural ma·jor·i·ties.
1.
the greater part or number; the number larger than half the total ( opposed to minority ): the majority of the population.
2.
a number of voters or votes, jurors, or others in agreement, constituting more than half of the total number.
3.
4.
the party or faction with the majority vote: The Democratic party is the majority.
5.
the state or time of being of full legal age: to attain one's majority.
6.
the military rank or office of a major.
7.
join the (great) majority, to die.
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Majority
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
Related forms
non·ma·jor·i·ty, noun, plural non·ma·jor·i·ties.
Synonyms
3. Majority, plurality in the context of an election, poll, or other voting situation resulting in a statistically based statement, both denote an amount or number larger than some other. In situations in which only two candidates, options, or positions are concerned, the terms are interchangeable, though majority is by far the more commonly used: She beat her opponent by a large majority. The proposal received a large plurality of “Yes” votes. When three or more choices are available, however, a distinction is made between majority and plurality. A majority then, consists of more than one-half of all the votes cast, while a plurality is merely the number of votes one candidate receives in excess of the votes for the candidate with the next largest number. Thus, in an election in which three candidates receive respectively 500, 300, and 200 votes, the first candidate has a plurality of 200 votes, but not a majority of all the votes cast. If the three candidates receive 600, 300, and 100 votes, the first has a majority of 100 votes (that is 100 votes more than one-half the total of 1000 cast) and a plurality of 300 votes over the nearest opponent.
3. Majority, plurality in the context of an election, poll, or other voting situation resulting in a statistically based statement, both denote an amount or number larger than some other. In situations in which only two candidates, options, or positions are concerned, the terms are interchangeable, though majority is by far the more commonly used: She beat her opponent by a large majority. The proposal received a large plurality of “Yes” votes. When three or more choices are available, however, a distinction is made between majority and plurality. A majority then, consists of more than one-half of all the votes cast, while a plurality is merely the number of votes one candidate receives in excess of the votes for the candidate with the next largest number. Thus, in an election in which three candidates receive respectively 500, 300, and 200 votes, the first candidate has a plurality of 200 votes, but not a majority of all the votes cast. If the three candidates receive 600, 300, and 100 votes, the first has a majority of 100 votes (that is 100 votes more than one-half the total of 1000 cast) and a plurality of 300 votes over the nearest opponent.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To majority
Collins
World English Dictionary
majority (məˈdʒɒrɪtɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -ties | |
| 1. | the greater number or part of something: the majority of the constituents |
| 2. | relative majority See absolute majority (in an election) the number of votes or seats by which the strongest party or candidate beats the combined opposition or the runner-up |
| 3. | the largest party or group that votes together in a legislative or deliberative assembly |
| 4. | the time of reaching or state of having reached full legal age, when a person is held competent to manage his own affairs, exercise civil rights and duties, etc |
| 5. | the rank, office, or commission of major |
| 6. | euphemistic the dead (esp in the phrases join the majority, goorpass over to the majority) |
| 7. | obsolete the quality or state of being greater; superiority |
| 8. | (modifier) of, involving, or being a majority: a majority decision; a majority verdict |
| 9. | in the majority forming or part of the greater number of something |
| usage The majority of can only refer to a number of things or people. When talking about an amount, most of should be used: most of (not the majority of) the harvest was saved | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
majority
1552, "condition of being greater, superiority," from M.Fr. majorité, from M.L. majoritatem (nom. majoritas) "majority," from L. major "greater" (see major). Sense of "state of being of full age" is attested from c.1565; meaning "greater number or part" (of votes, etc.) first recorded 1691.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
With plurality, a candidate top-ranked by a majority always wins, hence a tyrannical majority always gains power.
The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.
For instance, the hornet still gets the vast majority of its energy from food.
But a clear majority did, and among these there was a range of opinions about what could or should be done.
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