adjective / noun · neutral

major

UK/ˈmeɪdʒə/US/ˈmeɪdʒər/MA·jor

Band 5-6speakingtask2

important, serious, or main; (noun) the main subject a student studies at university

Examples

Climate change is a major global challenge.

She majored in economics at university.

There was a major improvement in air quality last year.

Band 8 sentence

The report identifies several major barriers to investment in renewable energy.

Collocations

  • major challenge
  • major improvement
  • major role

Word family

major adjective / nounmajority nounmajorly adverb (informal)

Common mistakes

I major my English at university.I majored in English at university.

This is a very major problem.This is a major problem.

Say it for a higher band

5big6main7+major

Synonyms

main

Easily confused

main

The main issue is funding.

Related words

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In Sublist 1

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