Major is a senior military officer rank 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.

Background

The use of Major as part of an official title in Medieval Latin has given the Spanish mayor, French maire, and English "mayor". In English the unadapted form "major" is the title of a military officer now ranking between a captain and a 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, drill and encampments on the staff of the chief commander as the sergeant in a company performs as assistant to the captain. This was in the latter half of the 16th century, and very soon afterwards the "sergeant major" became known as the "sergeant major general"—hence the modern title of major general.

By the time of the English Civil War "majors" had been introduced in each regiment of foot, who corresponded in a lesser sphere to the "major general" of the whole army. An early (1643) attestation of the term, used alone, can be found in Bulstrode Whitelocke's Memorials of the English affairs: "Major Gunter was shot dead in the place, and Hampden wounded, whereof he died a week after." referring to the deaths of John Hampden and Major John Gunter in the Battle of Chalgrove Field.

In the 20th century, the word appears also in the British service in "brigade major" (the adjutant or staff officer of a brigade). "Town majors" (garrison staff officers) are now no longer appointed. In the French service up to 1871 the "major general" was the chief of the general staff of a field army, and thus preserved the tradition of the former "sergeant major" or "sergeant major general".

The term major can also be used to denote the leader of a military band such as in pipe major or drum major.

Links to major ranks by country

Alphabetically sorted by name of country:

Insignia

Army insignia

See also

Attribution