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Added 2 October 2026

main

/meɪn/ noun

In Latin: prīncipālis Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about main at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Any very large body of (salt) water.
A principal pipe in a system that distributes water or gas or electricity or that collects sewage.

adjective

Most important element.
the chief aim of living
(of a clause) capable of standing syntactically alone as a complete sentence.
the main (or independent) clause in a complex sentence has at least a subject and a verb
Of force; of the greatest possible intensity.
by main strength

Origin

From Middle English mayn, main, maine, mæin, meyn, from main (noun) (see further at etymology 2); compare Old English mæġen (“strong, main, principal”) (used in combination) and Old Norse megn, megenn (“strong, main”). The word is cognate with Old High German megīn (“strong, mighty”) (modern German Möge, Vermögen (“power, wealth”)), and also akin to Old English magan (“to be able to”). See also may.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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