Majo

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Goya's La maja desnuda, c. 1797–1800.

For the Swedish singer from The Sounds, see Maja Ivarsson.

A majo (masc.) or maja (fem.) was a member of the Madrid artistic scene of the early nineteenth century (and also to some extent the late 18th and late 19th), who distinguished themselves by their pure, gracious use of the Castilian language and their elaborate outfits. They were people from the lower classes of society who nevertheless had great style and verve, and made sure they always looked good. Majos were one of the subjects of the painter Francisco Goya.

The term later became a more general word meaning "pretty" or "nice looking" (synonymous with bonito). This meaning survives in modern Spanish.

A more recent twist in the meaning turns majo into a simple synonym of simpático, i.e. it is an adjective referring to anyone who is "nice" or has a pleasant personality. This is the most common use these days, although some Spaniards occasionally complain that it is not the true meaning.

In Spanish, the word possesses derived forms such as the diminutive majete and the superlative majísimo.

The use of the word is particularly widespread in Aragon, where expressions such as ¡Hala, majete, no te pases!, "Hey, sunshine, watch yourself!" are common. The Aragonese are also known to add their typical diminutive suffix -ico to the word, thus producing majico, meaning "sweet", "cute".

[edit] Other uses

Majo can also be a Bolivian word for a type of local palm tree.
Majo is also the Japanese word for witch.
Majo is a popular Swedish DJ Official homepage.
Maja can also be a type of boa constrictor; see Flora and fauna of Guantánamo Bay: Other wildlife.
Maja can also be a leash to tie a horse to a post.
Majo or maja can be forms of the verb majar, to "mash" or "crush".
Maja can also be a name.
Maja can also be an Estonian word for "house".
Maja can also be a Finnish word meaning "cabin" or "cottage".
Majo can also mean a nickname for Mariajose('20/05/93')
Majás is the name of a Peruvian rodent paca .a
Majaa also means "to make love" or "be happy" in Madras tamil.
Maja is also a brand of perfume
Majá can also be a vulgar way to refer to an impressive amount of excrement.