maiores

[mah-YOR-esh]
adjective/nounmasculine/femininepl: N/A (already plural)
larger, biggest, greater, elders
1. Plural form of maior; comparative/superlative adjective indicating greater size, quantity, or importance
These are the larger cities in the country.
Estas são as maiores cidades do país.
2. Noun: older or adult people; elders
The elders made the final decision.
Os maiores tomaram a decisão final.
3. Superlative form: the biggest or greatest
She has the greatest talent among all students.
Ela tem o maior talento entre todos os alunos.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'maiores' is frequently used in legal and social contexts to denote adults or people of legal age (maiores de idade). It carries respect when referring to elders and is commonly used in family and hierarchical settings. In Portugal, the usage is similar but may appear more frequently in formal documentation regarding age of majority.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
maioressuperioresmais velhosmais antigosmais importantes
Antonyms / Antônimos
menoresinferioresmais jovensmais novos

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
maiores
Standard usage for comparative and superlative forms; commonly used for both adjective and noun (adults/elders)
São Paulo
maiores
Standard usage; frequently used in formal and informal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
maiores
Standard usage; may be contracted in casual speech to 'os maio'
Portugal
maiores
Identical usage; commonly refers to adults or people of legal age in legal contexts

Related Words

maiormáximosupremovelhoidosoadulto

Related Idioms & Phrases

maiores de idade - legal adults/people of legal age
os maiores e melhores - the greatest and best
crescer entre os maiores - to grow up among adults
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