What does major mean in music terms?

In music, the term "major" is used to describe a scale or chord that has a specific set of intervals. A major scale is composed of seven notes, with the distance between each note being either a whole step or a half step. The interval pattern for a major scale is: W-W-H-W-W-W-H, where "W" represents a whole step and "H" represents a half step.

The term "major" is also used to describe a chord that is composed of the first, third, and fifth notes of a major scale. For example, the C major chord is composed of the notes C, E, and G, which are the first, third, and fifth notes of the C major scale.

Major scales and chords have a bright and cheerful sound, which is why they are often used in popular music, classical music, and jazz.