majority

The word “majority” means more than half of a group or total. In plain terms, more than 50% of a group, or the age at which someone legally becomes an adult.

“Majority” is pronounced muh-JO-rih-tee (/məˈd͡ʒɑ.ɹɪti/ in IPA).

Here is “majority” used in a sentence: “The majority of voters supported the new law.”

“Majority” is a noun.

The word “majority” comes from Medieval Latin. From Middle French maiorité, from Medieval Latin maioritas, from Latin maior ("greater").

“Majority” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Majority” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: more than half of a group or total.

They are opposites. A majority is more than half of a group — the larger part. A minority is less than half — the smaller part. If 70 people out of 100 agree, they are the majority, and the remaining 30 are the minority.

A majority means more than half of the total — over 50%. A plurality means the largest share, even if it is under half. In a three-way vote, a candidate with 40% has a plurality but not a majority, because more than half of voters still chose someone else.

In voting, several kinds exist. A simple majority means more votes than the alternative. An absolute majority means more than half of all eligible votes. A supermajority sets a higher bar, such as two-thirds, and is often required for major decisions like changing a constitution.

In its strict sense, yes — a majority is more than 50% of a group or total. Loosely, people sometimes say 'the majority' to mean simply 'most' or 'the greater part', without counting precisely. In formal contexts like elections and law, the exact 'more than half' meaning matters.