"greater, major" in seven languages

Meaninggreater, major

Spanish

mayor

/maˈʝoɾ/

inherited

Also 'older' and 'adult': mi hermano mayor, mayor de edad.

French

majeur

/maʒœʁ/

learned

The inherited form is maire 'mayor'.

Italian

maggiore

/madˈdʒore/

inherited

Also 'older': mio fratello maggiore.

Portuguese

maior

/maˈjɔh/

inherited

Romanian

mai mare

/maj ˈmare/

other source · Romanian mai 'more' (Latin MAGIS) + mare 'big', of disputed origin

Major exists as a learned loan, mostly in fixed uses (majoritate 'majority').

Catalan

major

/məˈʒo/

inherited

English

major

/ˈmeɪdʒɚ/

from Latin/French · Latin MAIOR

English → Italiangreater, majormaggioreCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

MAIŌREM (nom. MAIOR)‘greater, bigger (comparative of MAGNUS)’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Latin's 'bigger' kept its comparative force: la mayor parte, la majeure partie, la maggior parte. English got it twice: learned major and, through French maire, mayor.

English relatives: majority, mayor (via French maire), majesty

Sound laws at work

Initial I- (J-) and G before E, I

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In a sentence

esPasa la mayor parte del día leyendo.
frIl passe la majeure partie de la journée à lire.
itPassa la maggior parte della giornata a leggere.
ptEle passa a maior parte do dia lendo.
roÎși petrece cea mai mare parte a zilei citind.
caPassa la major part del dia llegint.
enHe spends the greater part of the day reading.

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