Minor vs. Major — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 25, 2024
Minor refers to something of lesser importance or magnitude, while major denotes greater significance or size.
Difference Between Minor and Major
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Minor typically implies something of lesser importance, scale, or degree, often used to describe issues, subjects, or components that are not critical or primary. On the other hand, major signifies something of greater significance, impact, or size, representing primary concerns, subjects, or components that hold more weight or importance.
In education, a minor is a secondary field of study chosen by a student alongside their major, which is their primary area of specialization. While the major forms the core of a student’s academic focus, the minor offers a complementary area of expertise, allowing for a broader educational scope.
When discussing legal terms, a minor refers to an individual under the legal age of adulthood, which varies by jurisdiction but is commonly 18 years old. In contrast, a major in legal contexts is an elders with full legal rights and responsibilities.
In music, the terms minor and major can refer to scales, chords, or keys, with minor scales or chords typically sounding more melancholic or serious, and major scales or chords conveying a happier or brighter mood.
In business or project management, minor issues might refer to easily resolvable problems or those with minimal impact on the overall project, while major issues are significant obstacles that can affect the project's success or the business's bottom line.
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Comparison Chart
Importance
Lesser significance or impact.
Greater significance or impact.
Education
Secondary field of study.
Primary area of specialization.
Legal Status
Individuals under the age of adulthood.
Elders with full legal rights.
Music
Scales or chords with a melancholic sound.
Scales or chords with a happier sound.
Business Impact
Problems with minimal overall impact.
Significant obstacles affecting success.
Compare with Definitions
Minor
Less significant issue.
The project faced a minor setback but remained on schedule.
Major
An adult in legal contexts.
As a major, she enjoyed full legal rights and responsibilities.
Minor
Secondary academic focus.
She chose psychology as her major and sociology as her minor.
Major
Greater in degree or magnitude.
The hurricane caused major devastation across the region.
Minor
Individual below legal adulthood.
Minors require parental consent for certain legal agreements.
Major
More significant issue.
The company encountered a major problem that threatened its profitability.
Minor
Music scale with a somber tone.
The piece was composed in A minor, giving it a melancholic feel.
Major
Primary field of academic study.
His major in engineering was complemented by a minor in mathematics.
Minor
Lesser in degree or magnitude.
The earthquake caused only minor damage to the infrastructure.
Major
Music scale with a brighter tone.
The symphony was written in C major, creating an uplifting atmosphere.
Minor
Lesser or smaller in amount, extent, or size.
Major
Major is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world.
Minor
Lesser in importance, rank, or stature
A minor politician.
Major
Important, serious, or significant
The use of drugs is a major problem
Minor
Lesser in seriousness or danger
A minor injury.
Major
(of a scale) having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees.
Minor
Chiefly British Relating to or being the younger or junior of two pupils with the same surname.
Major
(appended to a surname in public schools) indicating the elder of two brothers.
Minor
Of or relating to a secondary area of academic specialization.
Major
(of a term) occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism.
Minor
(Logic) Dealing with a more restricted category.
Major
A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, above captain and below lieutenant colonel.
Minor
Relating to or being a minor scale.
Major
A major key, interval, or scale.
Minor
Less in distance by a half step than the corresponding major interval.
Major
A major organization or competition
The majors have swept up the smaller independent companies in licensing deals
It's not unreasonable to believe someone can win all four majors
The oil majors had a profit bonanza
Minor
Based on a minor scale
A minor key.
Major
A student's principal subject or course
Many students would ignore courses outside their major
Minor
One that is lesser in comparison with others of the same class.
Major
A major term or premise.
Minor
A secondary area of specialized academic study, requiring fewer courses or credits than a major.
Major
Short for major suit
South was anxious to mention his four-card major and bid one spade
Minor
One studying in a secondary area of specialization
She is a physics minor.
Major
A goal.
Minor
A minor premise.
Major
Specialize in (a particular subject) at college or university
I was trying to decide if I should major in drama or English
Minor
A minor term.
Major
Greater than others in importance or rank
A major artist.
Minor
(Music) A minor key, scale, or interval.
Major
Great in scope or effect
A major improvement.
Minor
Minors(Sports) The minor leagues of a sport, especially baseball.
Major
Great in number, size, or extent
The major portion of the population.
Minor
To pursue academic studies in a minor field
Minored in music.
Major
Requiring great attention or concern; very serious
A major illness.
Minor
Lesser, smaller in importance, size, degree, seriousness, or significance compared to another option, particularly:
Of minor importance
Major
(Law) Legally recognized as having reached the age of adulthood.
Minor
(law) Underage, not having reached legal majority.
The defendant resides at 123 Fake Street with his partner and two minor children.
Major
Designating a scale or mode having half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees.
Minor
Not serious, not involving risk of death, permanent injury, dangerous surgery, or extended hospitalization.
She suffered a minor injury... There was minor bruising... He has a minor case of puppy love...
Major
Equivalent to the distance between the tonic note and the second or third or sixth or seventh degrees of a major scale or mode
A major interval.
Minor
(music) Smaller by a diatonic semitone than the equivalent major interval.
The interval between minor third while C to E is a major third.
Major
Based on a major scale
A major key.
Minor
(music) Incorporating a minor third interval above the (in scales) tonic or (in chords) root note, tending to produce a dark, discordant, sad, or pensive effect.
Major
A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above captain and below lieutenant colonel.
Minor
Of or related to a minor, a secondary area of undergraduate study.
The minor requirements only involve about 20 hours of classes.
Major
One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.
Minor
(mathematics) Of or related to a minor, a determinate obtained by deleting one or more rows and columns from a matrix.
Major
One that is superior in rank, importance, or ability
An oil-producing country considered as one of the majors.
Minor
(logic) Acting as the subject of the second premise of a categorical syllogism, which then also acts as the subject of its conclusion.
Major
A field of study chosen as an academic specialty.
Minor
The younger of two pupils with the same surname.
Major
A student specializing in such studies
A linguistics major.
Minor
Of or related to the relationship between the longa and the breve in a score.
Major
A major premise.
Minor
Having semibreves twice as long as a minim.
Major
A major term.
Minor
Of or related to a minority party.
Major
A major scale, key, interval, or mode.
Minor
(law) A child, a person who has not reached the age of majority, consent, etc. and is legally subject to fewer responsibilities and less accountability and entitled to fewer legal rights and privileges.
No, he can't get a mortgage or sell the house. He's still a minor. For the most part, he can't sign a legally binding contract.
Major
A chord containing a major third between the first and second notes and a minor third between the second and third notes.
Minor
A lesser person or thing, a person, group, or thing of minor rank or in the minor leagues.
He plays in the minors... She hasn't won a minor since the Sichuan Open... The play is considered one of his minors...
Major
Majors Sports The major leagues.
Minor
(music) minor interval, etc.
Major
To pursue academic studies in a major
Majoring in mathematics.
Minor
A formally recognized secondary area of undergraduate study, requiring fewer course credits than the equivalent major.
I got a minor in English Lit.
Major
(attributive):
Minor
A person who is completing or has completed such a course of study.
I became an English minor.
Major
Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
Minor
(mathematics) A determinant of a square matrix obtained by deleting one or more rows and columns.
Major
Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
The major part of the assembly
Minor
(Catholicism) Minor: a Franciscan friar, a Clarist nun.
Major
Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.
Minor
(logic) minor term.
Major
Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
To earn some major cash
Minor
(baseball) minor league: the lower level of teams.
Major
(medicine) Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.
To suffer from a major illness
Minor
(ice hockey) minor penalty: a penalty requiring a player to leave the ice for 2 minutes unless the opposing team scores.
Major
Of full legal age, having attained majority.
Major children
Minor
(Australian football) behind: a one-point kick.
Major
(education) Of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization.
Minor
Ellipsis of minor point: a lesser score formerly gained by certain actions.
Major
(music):
Minor
(bridge) minor suit; a card of a minor suit.
Major
Having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees.
Major scale
Minor
(entomology) Any of various noctuid moths in Europe and Asia, chiefly in the Oligia and Mesoligia genera.
Major
Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval.
Major third
Minor
(entomology) A leaf-cutter worker ant intermediate in size between a minim and a media.
Major
(postpositive) of a key Based on a major scale, tending to produce a bright or joyful effect.
Minor
(campanology) Changes rung on six bells.
Major
(campanology) Bell changes rung on eight bells.
Minor
An adolescent, a person above the legal age of puberty but below the age of majority.
Major
Indicating the elder of two brothers, appended to a surname in public schools.
Minor
Synonym of subtrahend, the amount subtracted from a number.
Major
(logic)
Minor
The younger brother of a pupil.
Major
Occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism.
Minor
Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.
Major
Containing the major term in a categorical syllogism.
Minor
Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third.
Major
(military ranks) A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.
He used to be a major in the army.
Minor
The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness.
Major
An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier.
Minor
A Minorite; a Franciscan friar.
Major
A person of legal age.
Minor
Of lesser importance or stature or rank;
A minor poet
Had a minor part in the play
A minor official
Many of these hardy adventurers were minor noblemen
Minor back roads
Major
(music):
Minor
Lesser in scope or effect;
Had minor differences
A minor disturbance
Major
Ellipsis of major key.
Minor
Inferior in number or size or amount;
A minor share of the profits
Ursa Minor
Major
Ellipsis of major interval.
Minor
Of a scale or mode;
The minor keys
In B flat minor
Major
Ellipsis of major scale.
Minor
Not of legal age;
Minor children
Major
(campanology) A system of change-ringing using eight bells.
Minor
Of lesser seriousness or danger;
Suffered only minor injuries
Some minor flooding
A minor tropical disturbance
Major
A large, commercially successful company, especially a record label that is bigger than an indie.
Minor
Of your secondary field of academic concentration or specialization
Major
The principal subject or course 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.
Minor
Of the younger of two boys with the same family name;
Jones minor
Major
A student at a college or university specializing on a given area of study.
She is a math major.
Minor
Warranting only temporal punishment;
Venial sin
Major
(logic):
Minor
Limited in size or scope;
A small business
A newspaper with a modest circulation
Small-scale plans
A pocket-size country
Major
Ellipsis of major term.
Major
Ellipsis of major premise.
Major
(bridge) major suit.
Major
(Canadian football) A touchdown, or major score.
Major
(Australian rules football) A goal.
Major
An elder brother (especially at a public school).
Major
(entomology) A large leaf-cutter ant that acts as a soldier, defending the nest.
Major
(obsolete) mayor and {{en}}.
Major
(intransitive) major in
Major
Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory.
Major
Of greater dignity; more important.
Major
Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone.
Major
An officer next in rank above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field officer.
Major
A person of full age.
Major
That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [conclusion or inference].
Major
A mayor.
Major
A commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines; below lieutenant colonel and above captain
Major
British statesman who was prime minister from 1990 until 1997 (born in 1943)
Major
A university student who is studying a particular field as the principal subject;
She is a linguistics major
Major
The principal field of study of a student at a university;
Her major is linguistics
Major
Have as one's principal field of study;
She is majoring in linguistics
Major
Of greater importance or stature or rank;
A major artist
A major role
Major highways
Major
Greater in scope or effect;
A major contribution
A major improvement
A major break with tradition
A major misunderstanding
Major
Greater in number or size or amount;
A major portion (a majority) of the population
Ursa Major
A major portion of the winnings
Major
Of the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializes;
His major field was mathematics
Major
Of a scale or mode;
Major scales
The key of D major
Major
Of greater seriousness or danger;
A major earthquake
A major hurricane
A major illness
Major
Of full legal age;
Major children
Major
Of the elder of two boys with the same family name;
Jones major
Common Curiosities
Can you switch your major and minor in college?
Yes, students can usually switch their major and minor, but this might extend their time in college depending on how many courses overlap between the old and new choices.
Can a minor become a major issue?
Yes, a minor issue can escalate into a major one if not addressed promptly or if it has unforeseen consequences.
What does it mean to major in a subject?
To major in a subject means to choose it as your primary field of study in college or university, focusing most of your academic efforts on this area.
Is age the only criterion for being considered a minor?
Age is the primary criterion, but certain jurisdictions might have additional considerations, such as emancipation or marriage, that can affect a minor's legal status.
How do minor and major scales differ in music?
Minor scales are characterized by a specific interval pattern that gives them a somber or serious tone, while major scales follow a pattern that produces a happier or brighter sound.
Do minor chords always sound sad?
While minor chords often have a somber tone, their emotional impact can vary depending on the musical context and composition.
Can a minor travel alone?
A minor can travel alone under certain conditions, but they might need a consent letter or meet specific airline or legal requirements.
Can an individual have more than one major or minor?
Yes, some educational institutions allow students to pursue double majors or minors, subject to fulfilling the required coursework for each.
What legal rights do majors have that minors do not?
Majors have full legal rights, including entering contracts, voting, and making independent medical decisions, which minors typically do not.
How does one choose a minor?
Minors are often chosen based on personal interests, career goals, or to complement the major field of study.
How do businesses differentiate between minor and major issues?
Businesses assess the potential impact on operations, costs, and customer satisfaction to differentiate between minor and major issues.
Are minor subjects less important than majors?
While considered secondary, minor subjects can complement the major, broadening a student's knowledge and enhancing their skill set.
What role do major decisions play in life?
Major decisions, such as career choice, education, and personal relationships, significantly influence an individual's life path and opportunities.
What happens if a major problem is ignored?
Ignoring a major problem can lead to significant consequences, including financial loss, operational failure, or legal repercussions.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
