Online Encyclopedia

MAJOR (Lat. for " greater ")

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 450 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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MAJOR (
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Lat. for " greater ")
  , a word used, both as a substantive and adjective, for that which is greater than another in
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size, quality, degree, importance, &c., often opposed correlatively to that to which " minor " is applied in the same
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connotation . In the categorical syllogism in logic, the major
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term is the term which forms the predicate of the conclusion, the major premise is that which contains the major term . (For the distinction between major and minor intervals, and other applications in
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music, see Music and HARMONY.) The use of Major as
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part of an official title in Med .
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Lat. has given the Span. mayor, Fr. maire, and Eng . " mayor " (q.v.) . In
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English the unadapted form "major" is the title of a military officer now ranking between a captain and a
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lieutenant-colonel . Originally the word was used adjectivally in the title " sergeant-major," an officer of high rank (third in command of an army) who performed the same duties of administration,
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drill and encampments on the staff of the chief
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commander as the sergeant in a
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company performs as assistant to the captain . This was in the latter
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half of the 16th century, and very soon after-wards the "sergeant-major " became known as the " sergeantmajor-general "—hence the
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modern title of major-general . By the time of the English
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Civil War " majors " had been introduced in each regiment of
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foot., who. corresponded in a lesser sphere to the " major-general " of the whole army . The major's sphere of duties, precedence and title have since varied but little, though he has, in the
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British service, taken the place of the lieutenant-colonel as second in command—the latter officer exercising the command of the cavalry regiment,
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infantry
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battalion or artillery brigade, and the colonel being, save for certain administrative functions, little more than the titular chief of his regiment . Junior majors command companies of infantry; squadrons of cavalry and batteries of artillery are also commanded by majors . In most
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European armies, however, and of
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late years in the army of the
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United States also, the major has become a battalion commander under the orders of a regimental commander (colonel or lieutenant-colonel) .

The word appears also in the British service in " brigade-major (the

adjutant or staff officer of a brigade) . "
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Town-majors " (garrison staff
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officers) are now no longer appointed .

End of Article: MAJOR (Lat. for " greater ")
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MAJOR (or MAIR), JOHN (1470-1550)

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