major [ME] Latin major means ‘greater’ from magnus ‘great’ (see magnify), a sense still found in old-fashioned schools where ‘Smith major’ might be used to label the older of two brothers. The military rank is found from the late 16th century, while the sense ‘serious, excessive’ as in a major foul-up dates only from the 1940s. The mayor [ME] of a place, the title majesty [ME], and the majority [M16th] all get their names from the same source.