Topic: VOTING
 |
| Date: | 1500-1600 |
| Language: | French |
| Origin: | majorité, from Latin major; MAJOR1 |
| |||||||||
ma‧jor‧i‧ty
plural majorities
plural majorities1 most of the people or things in a group [≠ minority]
most people or things
[singular also + plural verb British English] great/vast/overwhelming majority of something (=almost all of a group) In the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal.
➔ silent majorityIn the vast majority of cases the disease is fatal.2 if one person or group wins a majority in an election, they win more votes than other people or groups
most votes
[countable]PPV clear/overall/absolute majority (=a situation in which one party wins more votes in an election than all the other parties) The party won an absolute majority in Portugal in 1987.
The party won an absolute majority in Portugal in 1987. Labour/Conservative etc majority The Labour majority was reduced to just 15 seats at the last election.
The Labour majority was reduced to just 15 seats at the last election.3 a vote or decision in which more people vote for something than vote against it : The committee takes decisions by majority vote. The jury found him guilty by a majority verdict.
majority vote/decision/verdict etc
The committee takes decisions by majority vote.The jury found him guilty by a majority verdict.4 when one person or group owns a bigger share of a company than other people or groups and so is able to control what happens to the company : Alex Golding held a majority shareholding in Golding plc.
majority stake/shareholding etc
Alex Golding held a majority shareholding in Golding plc.5 the age when someone legally becomes an adult [≠ minority]
