Major Third vs Minor Third

Side-by-side comparison of two musical terms.

	Major Third	Minor Third
Definition	An interval spanning four semitones, often perceived as bright, warm, and optimistic in character.	An interval spanning three semitones, often described as having a dark, melancholic, or tender quality.
Category	intervals	intervals
Pronunciation	/ˈmeɪdʒə θɜːd/	/ˈmaɪnə θɜːd/
Origin	Latin (tertius, third)	Latin (tertius, third)
BPM	—	—
Synonyms	sharp third ditone (historical)	flat third augmented second (enharmonic)
Antonyms	minor third	major third
Usage	The final chord resolves to a radiant major triad, with the major third ringing out clearly.	The melody opens with a descending minor third, immediately establishing a plaintive mood.

Definition: An interval spanning four semitones, often perceived as bright, warm, and optimistic in character.
Category: intervals
Pronunciation: /ˈmeɪdʒə θɜːd/
Origin: Latin (tertius, third)
Synonyms: sharp third ditone (historical)
Antonyms: minor third
Usage: The final chord resolves to a radiant major triad, with the major third ringing out clearly.

Definition: An interval spanning three semitones, often described as having a dark, melancholic, or tender quality.
Category: intervals
Pronunciation: /ˈmaɪnə θɜːd/
Origin: Latin (tertius, third)
Synonyms: flat third augmented second (enharmonic)
Antonyms: major third
Usage: The melody opens with a descending minor third, immediately establishing a plaintive mood.