Explanation at your level:
A majority is more than half. If you have 10 apples and you take 7, you have the majority. It is the biggest group.
Use majority when talking about numbers. 'The majority of students' means most students. It is very common in school and news.
In B1, we look at majority as a way to describe trends. 'The majority of people prefer coffee to tea.' It is a formal way to say 'most people.'
At this level, you distinguish between majority and most. 'Majority' requires 'the' and 'of' when followed by a noun. It is excellent for essays.
Use majority in academic writing to describe statistical findings. It implies a precise calculation rather than just a general feeling of 'many.'
At the mastery level, majority carries nuances of power dynamics. It is used to contrast with 'minority' in sociological or political discourse, highlighting systemic influence.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Majority means more than 50%.
- It is a collective noun.
- Always use 'the' before it.
- The opposite is minority.
Hey there! Think of majority as the 'winning side' of a split. Whenever you have a group of things or people, the majority is simply the part that is larger than the rest, specifically when that part is more than half.
It is a super useful word for describing power and scale. If you are in a classroom and 20 kids want pizza but only 5 want tacos, the majority wants pizza. It is all about the math of 'more than 50%'.
The word majority comes from the Medieval Latin word maioritas, which literally means 'greater state.' It is built on the root maior, meaning 'greater' or 'bigger.' This is the same root we see in the English word 'major.'
It entered Middle French as majorité before landing in English during the 15th century. Originally, it was mostly used to talk about reaching the 'age of majority,' which is the legal age where you are considered an adult. Over time, it grew to describe any group that holds the largest share of a total.
You will hear majority used constantly in politics and news. We often talk about a 'parliamentary majority' or 'the majority of voters.' It is a formal word, but it fits perfectly into everyday conversations about choices.
Commonly, we pair it with 'the.' You usually say 'the majority of' followed by a plural noun. For example: 'The majority of my friends like movies.' It sounds a bit clunky if you don't use 'of' when referring to a specific group.
While 'majority' is a direct noun, it appears in several key phrases:
- The silent majority: A large group of people who do not express their opinions publicly.
- Age of majority: The legal age of adulthood.
- A clear majority: Winning by a very obvious margin.
- In the majority: Being part of the larger group.
- By a majority: Winning a vote by more than half.
Pronounced muh-JOR-ih-tee, the stress is on the second syllable. In British English, the 'o' is often a short vowel, while in American English, it sounds more like 'ah'.
Grammatically, 'majority' is a collective noun. You can say 'the majority is' or 'the majority are'—both are technically correct depending on whether you view the group as a single unit or as individual people. It is almost always preceded by 'the' or a quantifier like 'a' or 'an' when used in specific contexts.
Fun Fact
It shares the same root as 'major' and 'mayor'.
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'o' sound like in 'hot'.
Long 'o' or 'ah' sound.
Common Errors
- Misplacing the stress
- Pronouncing the 'j' as 'g'
- Dropping the final 'y'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read in context.
Simple to use in sentences.
Commonly used.
Very frequent in news.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Collective Nouns
The team is/are.
Articles with Nouns
The majority.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Majority of people are.
Examples by Level
The majority of the class is here.
Most students are present.
Collective noun.
The majority of my day is fun.
Most of the day.
Used with time.
The majority likes pizza.
Most people like it.
Singular verb.
I ate the majority of the cake.
I ate most of it.
Quantifier.
The majority are ready.
Most people are ready.
Plural verb.
The majority of birds fly.
Most birds fly.
General fact.
The majority voted yes.
Most people voted yes.
Past tense.
The majority is happy.
Most people are happy.
Singular verb.
The majority of the work is done.
A majority of players want to win.
The majority of the time, I walk.
She won by a large majority.
The majority of our team is tall.
The majority of guests arrived late.
He holds the majority of shares.
The majority of the sky is blue.
The majority of the population lives in cities.
A slim majority voted for the change.
The majority of the evidence supports you.
He failed to gain a majority of votes.
The majority of our budget goes to rent.
She represents the majority of workers.
The majority of the project is finished.
They form the majority of the board.
The majority of experts agree on this.
A decisive majority supported the motion.
The majority of the public is concerned.
He commands a significant majority.
The majority of cases are mild.
A vast majority of people want peace.
The majority of the time, it works.
She holds a majority stake in the firm.
The majority of respondents indicated dissatisfaction.
The party failed to secure a parliamentary majority.
A qualified majority is required for this vote.
The majority of the data suggests a trend.
He represents the silent majority.
The majority of the electorate is undecided.
The majority of the burden falls on us.
A crushing majority defeated the proposal.
The tyranny of the majority is a classic political concern.
He reached the age of majority last year.
The majority of the literary critics praised it.
A scant majority was insufficient to pass the bill.
The majority of the assembly stood in protest.
She holds the majority of the influence here.
The majority of the evidence is circumstantial.
The majority of the population remains skeptical.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"the silent majority"
People who do not speak out.
The politician appealed to the silent majority.
formal"age of majority"
Legal adulthood.
He reached the age of majority at 18.
formal"the majority of the time"
Most of the time.
I am here the majority of the time.
neutral"in the majority"
Being the larger group.
Those who disagree are in the majority.
neutral"by a majority"
With more than half.
The motion carried by a majority.
formal"a clear majority"
A very obvious lead.
They have a clear majority in the house.
neutralEasily Confused
They mean the same thing.
Most is informal; majority is formal.
Most people vs The majority of people.
Both relate to voting.
Plurality is the most votes, but not necessarily over 50%.
He won by a plurality.
Same root.
Major is an adjective; majority is a noun.
A major event vs The majority of events.
Opposite.
Minority is less than half.
The minority disagreed.
Sentence Patterns
The majority of [noun] [verb]
The majority of students study.
Hold a [adjective] majority
They hold a slim majority.
Win by a majority of [number]
He won by a majority of ten.
The majority is [adjective]
The majority is happy.
In the majority of cases
In the majority of cases, it works.
Word Family
Nouns
Adjectives
Related
How to Use It
8
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
You usually need the article 'the'.
It depends on if you mean the group or the individuals.
While 'majority' works, 'most' is more natural.
Majority is for countable groups.
When referring to 'them', use plural.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a big slice of cake taking up more than half the plate.
Native Speakers
They use it for voting and big groups.
Cultural Insight
It is a key term in democratic voting.
Grammar Shortcut
Always keep 'the' nearby.
Say It Right
Focus on the 'JOR' sound.
Don't Forget 'The'
Avoid saying 'Majority of people'.
Did You Know?
It comes from the Latin word for 'greater'.
Study Smart
Write 3 sentences about your day using the word.
Formal Writing
Use it to replace 'most' in essays.
Speaking Tip
Use it to sound more precise.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Major + ity = The Major part is the majority.
Visual Association
A pie chart where more than half is highlighted.
Word Web
Challenge
Count your socks and see if the majority are black.
Word Origin
Latin
Original meaning: Greater state
Cultural Context
None, but can imply exclusion of the minority.
Commonly used in democratic political systems.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Politics
- majority vote
- parliamentary majority
- win the majority
Statistics
- majority of data
- majority of respondents
- majority share
Daily life
- majority of the time
- majority of my friends
- majority of the day
Work
- majority decision
- majority of staff
- majority interest
Conversation Starters
"Do you think the majority of people are kind?"
"What is the majority of your time spent doing?"
"Should the majority always decide?"
"Is the majority always right?"
"What is the majority opinion on this topic?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you were in the majority.
Do you prefer being in the majority or the minority?
Describe a situation where the majority was wrong.
How does the majority influence your choices?
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsIt can be both depending on context.
Yes, but 'the majority' is more common.
Yes, but 'majority' is more formal.
Minority.
It just needs to be more than half.
Yes, 'the majority of the time'.
Yes, in statistics.
To connect it to the group being measured.
Test Yourself
The ___ of the group wants cake.
Majority means the biggest part.
What is a majority?
Majority is always more than 50%.
Can you use 'majority' for uncountable things like water?
Usually used for countable groups.
Word
Meaning
These are opposites.
The majority voted yes.
Score: /5
Summary
The majority is simply the biggest part of a group, representing more than half.
- Majority means more than 50%.
- It is a collective noun.
- Always use 'the' before it.
- The opposite is minority.
Memory Palace
Imagine a big slice of cake taking up more than half the plate.
Native Speakers
They use it for voting and big groups.
Cultural Insight
It is a key term in democratic voting.
Grammar Shortcut
Always keep 'the' nearby.
Example
The majority of the population lives in urban areas.
Related Content
Learn it in Context
This Word in Other Languages
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