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major league

1 American  
[mey-jer leeg] / ˈmeɪ dʒər ˈlig /

noun

  1. Baseball. either of the two top-tier baseball leagues (the American League and theNational League ) that are organized under and regulated by MLB.

  2. Sports. a league of corresponding stature in certain other sports, such as ice hockey, soccer, football, or basketball.

major-league 2 American  
[mey-jer-leeg] / ˈmeɪ dʒərˈlig /

adjective

  1. Sports. of or relating to the major leagues, especially in baseball.

  2. Informal. belonging to or among the best or most important of its kind.

    a major-league orchestra.
major league British  

noun

  1. a league of highest classification in baseball, football, hockey, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • major leaguer noun
  • major-leaguer noun

Etymology

Origin of major league1

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Origin of major-league2

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; adjective use of major league ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Wrobleski, who won his seventh major league game Monday, said he expected the boos.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

The Dodgers could bar every other major league team from moving into L.A., but not the Angels.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Wednesday is opening day for the 162-game major league season.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

He ranked third among major league shortstops with 26 home runs last season, and he stole 26 bases.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

During an eight-year career playing for seven major league teams, he became known as one of the greatest base stealers the game had yet seen.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.