From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
major diatonic scale \major diatonic scale\ n. (Mus.),
The natural diatonic scale, which has semitones between the
third and fourth, and seventh and eighth notes, and whole
tones between the other notes; the scale of the major mode,
of which the third is major; also called {major scale}. See
{Scale}, and {Diatonic}.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Major \Ma"jor\, [L. major, compar. of magnus great: cf. F.
majeur. Cf. {Master}, {Mayor}, {Magnitude}, {More}, a.]
1. 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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Of greater dignity; more important. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. Of full legal age; adult. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
4. (Mus.) Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in
difference of pitch from another tone.
[1913 Webster]
{Major key} (Mus.), a key in which one and two, two and
three, four and five, five and six and seven, make major
seconds, and three and four, and seven and eight, make
minor seconds.
{Major offense} (Law), an offense of a greater degree which
contains a lesser offense, as murder and robbery include
assault.
{Major scale} (Mus.), the natural diatonic scale, which has
semitones between the third and fourth, and seventh and
fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees; the scale of the
major mode, of which the third is major. See {Scale}, and
{Diatonic}.
{Major second} (Mus.), a second between whose tones is a
difference in pitch of a step.
{Major sixth} (Mus.), a sixth of four steps and a half step.
In major keys the third and sixth from the key tone are
major. Major keys and intervals, as distinguished from
minors, are more cheerful.
{Major third} (Mus.), a third of two steps.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
major scale
n 1: a diatonic scale with notes separated by whole tones except
for the 3rd and 4th and 7th and 8th [syn: {major scale},
{major diatonic scale}]
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