majority
Meaning
the greater number or part; more than half of a total.
the number of votes by which one candidate or party beats another in an election.
the age at which a person is legally considered a full adult, typically 18 or 21.
Structure
Usage
the majority of the committee voted in favor of the proposal.
she won the election by a narrow majority of just fifty votes.
in many countries, you reach the age of majority at eighteen.
Etymology
the word 'majority' has a clear and logical construction from its latin components. the root 'major', meaning "greater," originates from the latin comparative form of 'magnus' (great), which itself can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root meg- (great). the suffix '-ity', from latin '-itas', is a prolific noun-forming element that indicates a state or quality. thus, the literal combination "state of being greater" evolved into the modern abstract meanings. these encompass the numerical concept of "the greater part," the political concept of a winning margin of votes, and the legal concept of the age at which one attains "greater" status and full adult rights.
Analysis
major: from latin 'major', meaning "greater," comparative of 'magnus' (great). functions as the core root conveying the sense of being larger or more important. ity: from latin '-itas', a suffix forming nouns denoting a state or condition. functions as a nominalizer, turning the adjective 'major' into an abstract noun.