Major is a senior military
officerrank used in many countries. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators, major is one rank above
captain in armies and air forces, and one rank below
lieutenant colonel. It is considered the most junior of the
senior officer ranks.[1]
Background
Etymologically, the word stems from the
Latin word major meaning "greater".[2] The rank can be traced back to the rank of
sergeant major general, which was shortened to
sergeant major, and subsequently shortened to major.[3]
When used in hyphenated or combined fashion, the term can also imply seniority at other levels of rank, including
major general, denoting a low-level general officer, and
sergeant major, denoting the most senior
non-commissioned officer (NCO) of a military unit.[disputed –
discuss][citation needed] The term major can also be used with a hyphen to denote the leader of a military band such as in
pipe-major or
drum-major.
^Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force.
"Paratus"(PDF). Regional Publications Ltd. pp. 12–13. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
^"Grados". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^"Patente". fa.gov.cv (in Portuguese). Cape Verdean Armed Forces. Archived from
the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
^"Distintivos de grados" [Badges of degrees]. ejercito.cl (in Spanish). Chilean Army. Archived from
the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
^"Insignias". mide.gob.do (in Spanish). Ministry of Defense (Dominican Republic). Archived from
the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
^"Resolución No. MRL-2012". trabajo.gob.ec (in Spanish). Government of Ecuador. 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^"Grados Militares". fuerzaarmada.mil.sv (in Spanish). Ministry of National Defense of El Salvador. Archived from
the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^Flores, Edmundo (1995). "National Security". In Merrill, Tim (ed.).
Honduras: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 232–233.
LCCN94043036. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^"Pangkat Harian". tni.mil.id (in Indonesian). Indonesian National Armed Forces. Archived from
the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^"Pangkat". mafhq.mil.my (in Malay). Malaysian Armed Forces. Archived from
the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^"ރޭންކް ސްޓްރަކްޗަރ". mndf.gov.mv (in Divehi). Maldives National Defence Force. Archived from
the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
^"Rank Insignia". afm.gov.mt. Armed Forces of Malta. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
^Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In
Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.).
Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297.
LCCN92009026. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^"Militære grader". forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
^Cooke, Melinda W. (1990).
"Chapter 5: National Security". In Hanratty, Dennis M.; Meditz, Sandra W. (eds.). Paraguay: A Country Study. Area Handbook Series (2nd ed.). Library of Congress. pp. 216–217.
LCCN89600299. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
^"Grados Militares". ccffaa.mil.pe (in Spanish). Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Peru. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^"Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Act"(PDF). The Uganda Gazette. CXII (46). Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation: 1851–1854. 18 September 2019. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^"НАКАЗ 20.11.2017 № 606". zakon.rada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
^"Rank structure". army.mod.uk. British Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^"U.S. Army Ranks". army.mil. United States Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^Hudson, Rex A.; Meditz, Sandra W., eds. (1992). "Chapter 5. National Security".
Uruguay: A Country Study(PDF) (2nd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 222–223.
ISBN0-8444-0737-2. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
^Ehrenreich, Frederick (1983). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.).
Zimbabwe: a Country Study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 267.
LCCN83-11946. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
Major is a senior military
officerrank used in many countries. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators, major is one rank above
captain in armies and air forces, and one rank below
lieutenant colonel. It is considered the most junior of the
senior officer ranks.[1]
Background
Etymologically, the word stems from the
Latin word major meaning "greater".[2] The rank can be traced back to the rank of
sergeant major general, which was shortened to
sergeant major, and subsequently shortened to major.[3]
When used in hyphenated or combined fashion, the term can also imply seniority at other levels of rank, including
major general, denoting a low-level general officer, and
sergeant major, denoting the most senior
non-commissioned officer (NCO) of a military unit.[disputed –
discuss][citation needed] The term major can also be used with a hyphen to denote the leader of a military band such as in
pipe-major or
drum-major.
^Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force.
"Paratus"(PDF). Regional Publications Ltd. pp. 12–13. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
^"Grados". argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^"Patente". fa.gov.cv (in Portuguese). Cape Verdean Armed Forces. Archived from
the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
^"Distintivos de grados" [Badges of degrees]. ejercito.cl (in Spanish). Chilean Army. Archived from
the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
^"Insignias". mide.gob.do (in Spanish). Ministry of Defense (Dominican Republic). Archived from
the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
^"Resolución No. MRL-2012". trabajo.gob.ec (in Spanish). Government of Ecuador. 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^"Grados Militares". fuerzaarmada.mil.sv (in Spanish). Ministry of National Defense of El Salvador. Archived from
the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^Flores, Edmundo (1995). "National Security". In Merrill, Tim (ed.).
Honduras: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 232–233.
LCCN94043036. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^"Pangkat Harian". tni.mil.id (in Indonesian). Indonesian National Armed Forces. Archived from
the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^"Pangkat". mafhq.mil.my (in Malay). Malaysian Armed Forces. Archived from
the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
^"ރޭންކް ސްޓްރަކްޗަރ". mndf.gov.mv (in Divehi). Maldives National Defence Force. Archived from
the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
^"Rank Insignia". afm.gov.mt. Armed Forces of Malta. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
^Smaldone, Joseph P. (1992). "National Security". In
Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.).
Nigeria: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. pp. 296–297.
LCCN92009026. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^"Militære grader". forsvaret.no (in Norwegian). Norwegian Armed Forces. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
^Cooke, Melinda W. (1990).
"Chapter 5: National Security". In Hanratty, Dennis M.; Meditz, Sandra W. (eds.). Paraguay: A Country Study. Area Handbook Series (2nd ed.). Library of Congress. pp. 216–217.
LCCN89600299. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
^"Grados Militares". ccffaa.mil.pe (in Spanish). Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Peru. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^"Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Act"(PDF). The Uganda Gazette. CXII (46). Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation: 1851–1854. 18 September 2019. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
^"НАКАЗ 20.11.2017 № 606". zakon.rada.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
^"Rank structure". army.mod.uk. British Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^"U.S. Army Ranks". army.mil. United States Army. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^Hudson, Rex A.; Meditz, Sandra W., eds. (1992). "Chapter 5. National Security".
Uruguay: A Country Study(PDF) (2nd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. 222–223.
ISBN0-8444-0737-2. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
^Ehrenreich, Frederick (1983). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.).
Zimbabwe: a Country Study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 267.
LCCN83-11946. Retrieved 5 July 2022.