majority
majority — 名詞
1. the portion of a group that makes up over fifty percent of its total members or
大多數
超過半數的最大部分
the portion of a group that makes up over fifty percent of its total members or items.
The majority of students in Rachel's class voted for the Friday field trip.
Rachel 班上大多數學生投票支持星期五的校外教學。
the majority of + plural noun (students)
A majority of voters supported the new public transport plan.
大多數選民支持新的公共運輸計畫。
The proposal was rejected by a large majority of committee members.
該提案被委員會中絕大多數成員否決了。
Zuri spent the majority of her winter break helping at the local animal shelter.
Zuri 大部分的寒假時間都在當地的動物收容所幫忙。
Naoko checked the survey and found that the majority of her coworkers wanted to work from home on Fridays.
Naoko 檢視了問卷結果，發現大多數同事希望在星期五在家工作。
- most
more common in everyday speech; not restricted to countable groups
- bulk
more formal; often used for physical quantities or the main portion of something
- greater part
less formal, interchangeable with 'majority' in many contexts
- minority
the smaller part of a group, making up less than half
文法句型
the majority of + plural noun
用法筆記
The phrase 'the majority of' is followed by a plural noun but can take either a singular or plural verb, depending on whether the group is seen as a single unit or as individuals. In practice, a plural verb is common in British English when the noun is plural: 'the majority of students are…'
常見錯誤
2. the vote-count difference between the winner and the second-place candidate in a
領先票數
當選者與第二名間的得票差距
the vote-count difference between the winner and the second-place candidate in an election or vote.
Andrew won the election with a majority of over two thousand votes.
Andrew 以超過兩千票的領先票數贏得選舉。
with a majority of [number] votes
The ruling party's majority in parliament has shrunk to just twelve seats.
執政黨在國會的多數優勢已縮減到只剩十二席。
possessive: [party]'s majority in [body]
A slim majority of five votes decided the outcome of the leadership contest.
僅五票的微小差距決定了這場領導權競爭的結果。
The candidate failed to secure an absolute majority in the first round of voting.
該候選人在第一輪投票中未能取得絕對多數。
Analysts predicted the Liberal Party would win a comfortable majority in the coming election.
分析師預測自由黨將在即將到來的選舉中贏得穩固的多數席次。
文法句型
a + adjective + majority + of + number
[party]'s + majority
用法筆記
When used for the margin of victory, 'majority' is often modified by an adjective describing the size: 'slim majority', 'comfortable majority', 'landslide majority'. In some voting systems, 'absolute majority' means more than half of all eligible votes, while 'simple majority' means more than half of the votes actually cast.
常見錯誤
3. the legally recognised point in life when a person is considered an adult, with
成年年齡
法律上認定為成人的年齡
the legally recognised point in life when a person is considered an adult, with full rights and duties such as voting and signing contracts.
Tuan reached the age of majority on his eighteenth birthday.
Tuan 在十八歲生日那天達到法定成年年齡。
reached the age of majority
In Taiwan, the age of majority is twenty, not eighteen.
在臺灣，法定成年年齡是二十歲，不是十八歲。
Until you reach the age of majority, your parents must sign legal papers for you.
在你達到法定成年年齡之前，你的父母必須為你簽署法律文件。
Romi's younger sister cannot open a bank account yet, as she has not reached majority.
Romi 的妹妹還不能開銀行帳戶，因為她尚未成年。
Bilal reached the age of majority at eighteen in Morocco, while Inês had to wait until twenty-one in Portugal.
Bilal 在摩洛哥十八歲即達到法定成年年齡，而 Inês 在葡萄牙則須等到二十一歲。
- legal age
more general term for any age set by law for a specific right, not just adulthood
- adulthood
everyday word for the state of being an adult
- coming of age
used both legally and culturally for the transition to adulthood
- minority
the legal status of being under the age of majority
文法句型
the age of majority
reach (the age of) majority
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the fixed phrases 'age of majority' or 'reach majority'. It is a formal legal term. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say 'turn eighteen' or 'become an adult'. The opposite legal status is 'minority' (the condition of being a minor).