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Massive vs Major - What's the difference?

massive | major |

As adjectives the difference between massive and major

is that massive is of or pertaining to a large mass; weighty, heavy, or bulky while major is of great significance or importance.

As nouns the difference between massive and major

is that massive is a homogeneous mass of rock, not layered and without an obvious crystal structure while major is a military rank between captain and lieutenant colonel.

As a verb major is

to concentrate on a particular area of study as a student in a college or university.

As a proper noun Major is

{{surname}.

massive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to a large mass; weighty, heavy, or bulky.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
  • , passage=But Richmond
  • Much larger than normal.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author= Chico Harlan
  • , volume=189, issue=2, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Japan pockets the subsidy […] , passage=Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."}}
  • Of great significance or import; overwhelming.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.}}
  • (label) Of a specimen not exhibiting crystal form.
  • Of particularly exceptional quality or value; awesome.
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=1995, date=November 29, author=harry knowles, newsgroup=rec.arts.sf.movies
  • , title= INDEPENDENCE DAY-----------MASSIVE COOL SPOILERS DON'T OPEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW , passage=Ok true believers here is the low down of massive coolness.}}
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=1998, date=February 13, author=David Farrar, newsgroup=Re: Te Papa
  • , title= nz.reg.wellington.general , passage=Heaps excited about it - I'm planning for a massive day.}}
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=1998, date=July 2, author=super disco dan, newsgroup=alt.music.beastie-boys
  • , title= Deasties rock the Hurricane- 06/21/98 , passage=saw the beasties last week in GERMANY at a massive little party called the Hurricane Festival outside Hamburg and here's how it all shook down
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=2003, date=June 11, author=Glenn Wendyhouse, newsgroup=uk.people.gothic
  • , title= WENDYHOUSE June 21st , passage=OPEN THROUGH THE SUMMER: We are on the 3rd Saturday of the month, remain at the same venue, at the same price, at the same times and always give you a massive night out to remember (unless you've drunk too much bargain University booze!).}}
  • * {{quote-newsgroup, year=2010, date=July 30, author=Robbie, newsgroup=uk.music.charts
  • , title= Re: Survivable album chart from 2001 , passage=I own this one, bought it because I liked Slide. The album is quite dull. They were massive back in the day}}
  • Possessing mass.
  • Synonyms

    * (of or pertaining to a large mass) bulky, heavy, hefty, substantial, weighty * (much larger than normal) colossal, enormous, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, great, huge, mahoosive (slang), titanic * (of great significance or import) consequential, meaningful, overwhelming, significant, weighty * (of grandeur ) awesome, super, excellent, stupendous

    Antonyms

    * (of or pertaining to a large mass) insubstantial, light * (much larger than normal) dwarf, little, microscopic, midget, minuscule, pint-sized, tiny, wee * (of great significance or import) inconsequential, insignificant, piddling, trifling, trivial, unimportant * (of grandeur ) lame, stale, disappointing, crappy * (of having a positive mass) massless

    Derived terms

    * mahoosive (slang) * massively * massiveness * MOOC (massive open online course)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (mineralogy) A homogeneous mass of rock, not layered and without an obvious crystal structure.
  • karst massives in western Georgia

    Anagrams

    * ----

    major

    English

    Alternative forms

    * majour (obsolete)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl)

    Alternative forms

    * (abbreviation)

    Noun

    (wikipedia major)
  • (en noun), or, when used as a title before a person's name , Major
  • a military rank between captain and lieutenant colonel
  • He used to be a major in the army.
    This is Major Jones.
    Usage notes
    When used as a title, it is always capitalized. : Example: Major Jane Payne. The rank corresponds to pay grade O-4. Abbreviations: Maj. and MAJ.

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) , from Proto-Indo-European *ma?-yes-'' "greater", comparative of ''*ma?-, *me?- , "great".

    Adjective

  • Of great significance or importance.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author= Karen McVeigh
  • , volume=189, issue=2, page=10, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= US rules human genes can't be patented , passage=The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.}}
  • Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
  • the major part of the assembly
  • Of full legal age; having attained majority.
  • (music) Of a scale which follows the pattern: tone - tone - semitone - tone - tone - tone - semitone
  • a major scale.
  • (music) Being the larger of two intervals denoted by the same ordinal number.
  • (music) Containing the note which is a major third (four half steps) above the tonic.
  • Derived terms
    * majorly
    Antonyms
    * minor

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US, Canada, Australia, and, New Zealand) The main area of study 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 .
  • (US, Canada, Australia, and, New Zealand) A student at a college or university concentrating on a given area of study.
  • She is a math major .
  • A person of legal age.
  • (logic) The major premise.
  • (Canadian football) An alternate term for touchdown; short for "major score".
  • A large, commercially successful record label, as opposed to an indie.
  • * 2005 , Billboard (volume 117, number 3, 15 January 2005, page 36)
  • He says Ninja Tune retains the master and publishing rights on most of its catalog, making it easy to license quickly. Yet as majors jump on the videogame bandwagon, he fears indies may lose that outlet.
    Antonyms
    * (a person of legal age) minor

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to concentrate on a particular area of study as a student in a college or university
  • I have decided to major in mathematics.

    Anagrams

    * ----