majority

Etymology

From Middle French maiorité, from Medieval Latin māiōritātem, accusative of Latin māiōritās, from Latin māiōr (“greater”). Morphologically major + -ity

noun

1. More than half (50%) of some group.
   Coordinate term: plurality
   The majority agreed that the new proposal was the best.
   Those opposing the building plans were in the majority, so the building project was canceled.
   The person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. 1803, Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution
   But in 1912 the American people gave the Democrats another opportunity, and under the leadership of Woodrow Wilson we swept the country from sea to sea. At the end of that historic contest we had the Presidency, the Senate by a working majority, and the House by an overwhelming majority. 1920, Champ Clark, Democratic Achievement
2. The difference between the winning vote and the rest of the votes.
   The winner with 53% had a 6% majority over the loser with 47%.
3. (dated) Legal adulthood, age of majority.
   By the time I reached my majority, I had already been around the world twice.
4. (UK) The office held by a member of the armed forces in the rank of major.
   On receiving the news of his promotion, Charles Snodgrass said he was delighted to be entering his majority.
5. Ancestors; ancestry.