Major - Robert Mugabe

This article is about the military rank. For other uses, see Major (disambiguation).

"Maj" redirects here. For the epic poem by Karel Hynek Mácha, see Máj.

Common military ranks
Officers
Navies	Armies	Air forces
Admiral of the Fleet	Marshal / Field Marshal	Marshal of the Air Force
Admiral	General	Air Marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air Commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group Captain
Commander	Lt. Colonel	Wing Commander
Lt. Commander	Major / Commandant	Squadron Leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Ensign	2nd Lieutenant	Pilot Officer
Midshipman	Officer Cadet	Officer Cadet
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer
Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading Seaman	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman

Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world. When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. It is considered the most junior of the field ranks. In some militaries, notably France, the rank is referred to as "Commandant", while in others it is known as "Captain-Major". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures.

When used in hyphenated or combined fashion, the term can also imply seniorty at other levels of rank, including "General-Major" or "Major General", denoting a mid-level general officer, and "Sergeant Major", denoting the most senior NCO of a military unit.