Minor vs. Major: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on September 7, 2023
Minor refers to something lesser in importance, size, or degree, whereas major indicates something greater or more significant in those aspects. In academics or law, "minor" often refers to someone under legal age, while "major" signifies a primary field
Difference Between Minor and Major
Minor and major are both adjectives that help to describe the scale or importance of an object, event, or characteristic. When something is minor, it is lesser in importance or scale, and may be negligible or trivial. For instance, a minor injury may require less medical attention. On the other hand, when an issue is major, it is significant and needs more immediate or extensive consideration, such as a major disaster.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
In academic settings, the terms minor and major take on specific meanings. A student's major is their primary field of study, where they will take the most courses and gain specialized knowledge. A minor is a secondary field of study that a student may choose to focus on alongside their major. The requirements for a minor are typically less rigorous than those for a major, but both are formalized fields of study within an academic program.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
In legal contexts, the words minor and major have another specific application. A minor is an individual who is below the age of majority, and therefore may have limited legal responsibilities and rights. Conversely, the term major is not directly used to describe someone over the legal age, but the concept applies as one gains full legal rights when they reach the age of majority.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
In everyday language, minor and major can also describe musical scales, surgical procedures, and many other things. A minor scale in music is often said to sound sad or melancholic, while a major scale is described as happy or uplifting. In healthcare, a minor procedure is one that is less invasive and has a shorter recovery time, whereas a major procedure is more invasive and requires longer recovery.
Kaitlyn
Sep 07, 2023
Minor vs. Major Comparison Chart
Degree of Importance
Lesser in importance, scale, or degree
Greater in importance, scale, or degree
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Sep 07, 2023
Academic Use
Secondary field of study with fewer courses
Primary field of study with specialized courses
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Sep 07, 2023
Legal Use
Refers to someone under the legal age
Not used to describe age but implied for those over legal age
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Sep 07, 2023
Musical Context
Scale or chord that sounds sad or melancholic
Scale or chord that sounds happy or uplifting
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Sep 07, 2023
Medical Context
Procedures that are less invasive and require less recovery
Procedures that are more invasive and require more recovery
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Sep 07, 2023
Minor vs. Major Definitions
◉Major
Greater in importance or significance.
The project is a major milestone for the company.
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Sep 07, 2023
◉Minor
A musical scale characterized by specific intervals.
The piece was composed in A minor.
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Sep 07, 2023
◉Major
Significant in scope or degree.
They are making major renovations to the building.
Olivia
Sep 07, 2023
◉Major
Great in number, size, or extent
the major portion of the population.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Chiefly British Relating to or being the younger or junior of two pupils with the same surname.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
Of or relating to the field of academic study in which a student specializes.
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◉Major
Designating a scale or mode having half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
Equivalent to the distance between the tonic note and the second or third or sixth or seventh degrees of a major scale or mode
a major interval.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Less in distance by a half step than the corresponding major interval.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Major
A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above captain and below lieutenant colonel.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.
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◉Major
One that is superior in rank, importance, or ability
an oil-producing country considered as one of the majors.
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◉Minor
A secondary area of specialized academic study, requiring fewer courses or credits than a major.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
(Law) One recognized by the law as having reached the age of adulthood.
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◉Minor
One studying in a secondary area of specialization
She is a physics minor.
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◉Major
A chord containing a major third between the first and second notes and a minor third between the second and third notes.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option, particularly:
of minor importance
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
(law) Underage, not having reached legal majority.
The defendant resides at 123 Fake Street with his partner and two minor children.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Not serious, not involving risk of death, permanent injury, dangerous surgery, or extended hospitalization.
She suffered a minor injury... There was minor bruising... He has a minor case of puppy love...
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
(music) Smaller by a diatonic semitone than the equivalent major interval.
The interval between minor third while C to E is a major third.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
(music) Incorporating a minor third interval above the (in scales) tonic or (in chords) root note, tending to produce a dark, discordant, sad, or pensive effect.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
the major part of the assembly
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◉Minor
Of or related to a minor, a secondary area of undergraduate study.
The minor requirements only involve about 20 hours of classes.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
(mathematics) Of or related to a minor, a determinate obtained by deleting one or more rows and columns from a matrix.
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◉Major
Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
to earn some major cash
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◉Minor
(logic) Acting as the subject of the second premise of a categorical syllogism, which then also acts as the subject of its conclusion.
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◉Major
(medicine) Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.
to suffer from a major illness
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◉Minor
Of or related to the relationship between the longa and the breve in a score.
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◉Major
(education) Of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization.
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◉Major
Having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees.
major scale
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◉Minor
(law) A child, a person who has not reached the age of majority, consent, etc. and is legally subject to fewer responsibilities and less accountability and entitled to fewer legal rights and privileges.
No, he can't get a mortgage or sell the house. He's still a minor. For the most part, he can't sign a legally binding contract.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Major
Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval.
major third
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◉Minor
A lesser person or thing, a person, group, or thing of minor rank or in the minor leagues.
He plays in the minors... She hasn't won a minor since the Sichuan Open... The play is considered one of his minors...
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
(postpositive) of a key Based on a major scale, tending to produce a bright or joyful effect.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
A formally recognized secondary area of undergraduate study, requiring fewer course credits than the equivalent major.
I got a minor in English Lit.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
Indicating the elder of two brothers, appended to a surname in public schools.
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◉Minor
A person who is completing or has completed such a course of study.
I became an English minor.
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◉Minor
(mathematics) A determinant of a square matrix obtained by deleting one or more rows and columns.
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◉Major
Occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism.
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◉Major
(military ranks) A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.
He used to be a major in the army.
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◉Major
An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier.
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◉Minor
(ice hockey) minor penalty: a penalty requiring a player to leave the ice for 2 minutes unless the opposing team scores.
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◉Minor
ellipsis of minor point: a lesser score formerly gained by certain actions.
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◉Minor
(entomology) Any of various noctuid moths in Europe and Asia, chiefly in the Oligia and Mesoligia genera.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
(entomology) A leaf-cutter worker ant intermediate in size between a minim and a media.
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◉Major
A large, commercially successful company, especially a record label that is bigger than an indie.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
An adolescent, a person above the legal age of puberty but below the age of majority.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university.
Midway through his second year of college, he still hadn't chosen a major.
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
A student at a college or university specializing on a given area of study.
She is a math major.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.
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◉Minor
Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third.
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◉Minor
A person of either sex who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded; an infant; in England and the United States, one under twenty-one years of age.
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◉Minor
The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness.
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
a young person of either sex;
she writes books for children
they're just kids
`tiddler' is a British term for youngsters
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◉Minor
of lesser importance or stature or rank;
a minor poet
had a minor part in the play
a minor official
many of these hardy adventurers were minor noblemen
minor back roads
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
(entomology) A large leaf-cutter ant that acts as a soldier, defending the nest.
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◉Minor
inferior in number or size or amount;
a minor share of the profits
Ursa Minor
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◉Major
Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory.
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◉Minor
of lesser seriousness or danger;
suffered only minor injuries
some minor flooding
a minor tropical disturbance
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◉Major
Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone.
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◉Major
An officer next in rank above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field officer.
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◉Minor
limited in size or scope;
a small business
a newspaper with a modest circulation
small-scale plans
a pocket-size country
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [conclusion or inference].
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Lesser in importance or significance.
The meeting had a few minor setbacks.
Jonathan
Sep 07, 2023
◉Major
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines; below lieutenant colonel and above captain
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May 03, 2023
◉Minor
Insignificant or trivial in scope.
She made a minor mistake in the calculations.
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Sep 07, 2023
◉Major
British statesman who was prime minister from 1990 until 1997 (born in 1943)
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
a university student who is studying a particular field as the principal subject;
she is a linguistics major
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
the principal field of study of a student at a university;
her major is linguistics
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◉Major
have as one's principal field of study;
She is majoring in linguistics
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◉Major
of greater importance or stature or rank;
a major artist
a major role
major highways
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◉Major
greater in scope or effect;
a major contribution
a major improvement
a major break with tradition
a major misunderstanding
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◉Major
greater in number or size or amount;
a major portion (a majority) of the population
Ursa Major
a major portion of the winnings
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
of the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializes;
his major field was mathematics
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
of greater seriousness or danger;
a major earthquake
a major hurricane
a major illness
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May 03, 2023
◉Major
Used to describe larger or more severe medical procedures.
He will undergo major surgery next week.
Nolan
Sep 07, 2023
◉Major
A musical scale characterized by specific intervals.
The song was written in C major.
Leo
Sep 07, 2023
Minor vs. Major Frequently Asked Questions
What does major generally signify?
Major generally refers to something greater or more significant in scale, importance, or degree.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
How do the terms minor and major apply in a legal context?
In legal terms, a minor is someone below the legal age, whereas major is implied for those above the legal age.
Olivia
Sep 07, 2023
Is a minor always less work academically than a major?
Yes, a minor usually requires fewer courses and less comprehensive study compared to a major.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
How do minor and major apply in medical contexts?
In medicine, minor refers to less invasive procedures, and major refers to more invasive procedures requiring extensive recovery.
Elijah
Sep 07, 2023
How do the terms minor and major apply in an academic setting?
In academics, a major is your primary field of study, while a minor is a secondary field.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
What is a minor scale in music?
In music, a minor scale is a musical scale known for its somewhat sad or melancholic tone.
Kaitlyn
Sep 07, 2023
Can something be both minor and major in different contexts?
Yes, something could be minor in one context but major in another depending on the criteria being used.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
What does minor generally imply?
Minor generally indicates something lesser in scale, importance, or degree.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
What is a major scale in music?
In music, a major scale is a musical scale often associated with a happy or uplifting tone.
Leo
Sep 07, 2023
How are the terms minor and major used in everyday language?
In everyday language, minor and major are used to signify the scale, importance, or degree of various things.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 07, 2023
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