vis major

• POS: Noun Phrase
• HYPHEN: vis ma=jor

CIDE DICTIONARY

vis major,  [L. major greater.].

 A superior force which under certain circumstances is held to exempt from contract obligations; inevitable accident; -- a civil-law term used as nearly equivalent to, but broader than, the common-law term act of God (which see).  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]