maggiore Italian · revision 38158

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1219, Breve di Montieri|origins=ine-pro *m̥ǵh₂yós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /madˈd͡ʒo.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''maggiore''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural maggiori)^(Wiktionary)

+ The singular is often shortened to ''maggior'' before a noun.^(Treccani 2011) Old forms include [[roa-oit|magior]] (1219), [[roa-oit|magor]], [[roa-oit|maçor]] (Guido Guinizelli) and [[roa-oit|mazore]] (Pier della Vigna);^(DELI 1999) ''maiore'' is archaic or regional.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|maior|t=greater, older]], the comparative of [[m|la|magnus|t=great]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Sabatini–Coletti notes that the ⟨gg⟩, /ddʒ/, is the usual Tuscan outcome of Latin /j/ between vowels.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The Latin comparative goes back to [[itc-pro|*magjōs]], from [[ine-pro|*m̥ǵh₂yós]], formed on the root of “great”.^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan lists cognates of the positive such as [[grc|μέγας|tr=mégas]] and [[got|𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐍃|tr=mikils]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ The same word is [[oc|maor]], [[ca|major]], [[es|mayor]] and [[pt|mor]], and [[ro|mare]] has taken the plain sense “great”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907) The Latin nominative gave [[fr|maire]] “mayor” and [[roa-oit|maggio|t=greater]], still found in place names such as Riomaggio and Viamaggio.^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935) [[sc|mere|t=master]] in Logudorese comes from it too.^(REW 1935)^(Körting 1907)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is ''magior'' in the Breve di Montieri of 1219.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) The form ''maggiore'' is in Dante (1304–1308), as the comparative of ''grande'': larger in size, extent, intensity, number or height.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a noun ''maggiore'' meant a superior in rank (Brunetto Latini, before 1294), and in the plural, like Latin ''maiores'', the ancestors or forefathers.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) The sense “older in age” is in Giovanni Villani before 1348.^(DELI 1999) The military rank between captain and lieutenant colonel is recorded in 1618, in Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger;^(DELI 1999) Nocentini explains it as short for ''ufficiale maggiore'', while the GDLI compares the French title ''major''.^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI) The phrase ''andare per la maggiore'' “to be popular, be in fashion” goes back to the Florentine guilds, which were divided into greater and lesser arts.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ In music ''maggiore'' for a major interval or key is recorded in 1562;^(DIFIT) French made the calque ''majeur'' (1703), and German borrowed ''Maggiore'' (1802).^(DIFIT) ''Maggioranza'' first meant “the greater part” (Villani); its numerical sense of a majority in an assembly is from the 18th century and seems to come from English parliamentary usage.^(DELI 1999) ''Maggiorata'', a buxom woman, became popular after Alessandro Blasetti's film ''Altri tempi'' (1952), where a lawyer's ''maggiorata fisica'' plays on ''minorata psichica''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1219 – ''Magior'' appears in the Breve di Montieri.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it as a noun, “superior”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''maggiore''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses it for “older”, and ''maggioranza'' for “the greater part”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1562 – It is recorded in music for a major interval.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1618 – Michelangelo Buonarroti the Younger uses it for the military rank.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1777 – ''Maggioranza'' is used for the majority group in an assembly.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1952 – Blasetti's film ''Altri tempi'' launches ''maggiorata''.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Greater, bigger, the comparative of [[grande]]: ''Il lago è maggiore di quanto pensassi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # With the definite article, the greatest, the largest, the main one: ''il maggior porto del paese''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Higher, more numerous; more intense: ''con maggiore attenzione'', ''la maggior parte'', the majority.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # More important; of an author, the principal works: ''le opere maggiori di Petrarca''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # [[m|en|older]], [[m|en|elder]]: ''mia sorella maggiore''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Higher in a hierarchy: ''sergente maggiore''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(music)'' [[m|en|major]]: ''do maggiore''.^(DIFIT)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(military)'' A major, the rank between captain and lieutenant colonel.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The elder or eldest of siblings.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary, plural)'' Ancestors, forefathers.^(GDLI)^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[maggiormente]]

+ * [[maggioranza]]

+ * [[maggiorare]]

+ * [[maggiorata]]

+ * [[maggiorazione]]

+ * [[maggiorenne]]

+ * [[maggiorente]]

+ * [[maggiorità]]

+ * [[maggioritario]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[magno]]

+ * [[la|magnus]]

+ * [[fr|majeur]]

+ * [[fr|maire]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Forza maggiore'' is force majeure, a cause that cannot be resisted;^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''a maggior ragione'' means “all the more so”.^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}