What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sergeant vs Major - What's the difference?

sergeant | major |

As nouns the difference between sergeant and major

is that sergeant is uK army rank with NATO code OR-6, senior to corporal and junior to warrant officer ranks while major is a military rank between captain and lieutenant colonel.

As proper nouns the difference between sergeant and major

is that sergeant is {{surname|lang=en} while Major is {{surname}.

As an adjective major is

of great significance or importance.

As a verb major is

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

sergeant

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete) * sergeaunt (obsolete) * serjeant (obsolete)

Noun

(wikipedia sergeant) (en noun)
  • UK army rank with NATO code , senior to corporal and junior to warrant officer ranks.
  • The highest rank of noncommissioned officer in some non-naval military forces and police.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1928, author=Lawrence R. Bourne
  • , title=Well Tackled! , chapter=13 citation , passage=“Yes, there are two distinct sets of footprints, both wearing rubber shoes—one I think ordinary plimsolls, the other goloshes,” replied the sergeant .}}
  • (legal, historical) A lawyer of the highest rank, equivalent to the doctor of civil law.
  • (Blackstone)
  • (UK, historical)
  • sergeant surgeon, i.e. a servant, or attendant, surgeon
  • A fish, the cobia.
  • 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

    * ----