4. (Mus.) Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of
pitch from another tone.
Major axis (Geom.), the greater axis. See Focus, n., 2. -- Major key
(Mus.), a key in which one and two, two and three, four and five, five
and six and seven, make major seconds, and three and four, and seven
and eight, make minor seconds. -- Major offense (Law), an offense of a
greater degree which contains a lesser offense, as murder and robbery
include assault. -- Major premise (Logic), that premise of a syllogism
which contains the major term. -- Major scale (Mus.), the natural
diatonic scale, which has semitones between the third and fourth, and
seventh and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees; the scale of the
major mode, of which the third is major. See Scale, and Diatonic. --
Major second (Mus.), a second between whose tones is a difference in
pitch of a step. -- Major sixth (Mus.), a sixth of four steps and a
half step. In major keys the third and sixth from the key tone are
major. Major keys and intervals, as distinguished from minors, are more
cheerful. -- Major term (Logic), that term of a syllogism which forms
the predicate of the conclusion. -- Major third (Mus.), a third of two
steps.
Ma"jor, n. [F. major. See Major, a.] 1. (Mil.) An officer next in rank
above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field
officer.