Middle English (in the sense 'greatness of God'): from Old French majeste, from Latin majestas, from a variant of majus, major- (see major).

• major from Middle English:

  Latin major means ‘greater’ from magnus ‘great’ (see magnify), a sense still found in old-fashioned schools where ‘Smith major’ might be used to label the older of two brothers. The military rank is found from the late 16th century, while the sense ‘serious, excessive’ as in a major foul-up dates only from the 1950s. The mayor (Middle English) of a place, the title majesty (Middle English), and the majority (mid 16th century) all get their names from the same source.