main

main · adjective, adverb, verb¹

1. Old Norse · derived frommegn
2. Old English · inherited frommæġen“strong, main, principal”
3. Middle English · inherited frommayn
4. English todaymain

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.

main · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*megʰ-“be able”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*maginą“strength, power, might”
3. Old English · inherited frommæġen“strength”
4. Middle English · inherited frommayn
5. English todaymain

From Middle English mayn, main, maine, mæine, mæȝen, from Old English mæġen (“strength”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą (“strength, power, might”), *maginaz (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“be able”). The word is cognate with Old High German magen, megin, Old Norse magn, megn, megin, Old Saxon megin. More recent senses are derived from the adjective.

main · noun³

Uncertain; probably from the adjective main. Evidence is lacking for a derivation from French main (“hand”).

main · noun⁴

1. French · derived frommain“hand”
2. English todaymain

Uncertain, possibly from French main (“hand”).

Main · proper noun⁵

1. Latin · derived fromMoenis
2. English todayMain

From Latin Moenis.

Main · proper noun⁶

1. Proto-Celtic · derived from*makʷos“son”
2. Old Irish · derived frommang“fawn”
3. English todayMain

From an Mhaing, possibly from Old Irish mang (“fawn”), which is said to be related to Proto-Celtic *makʷos (“son”); also compare Proto-Germanic *maguz.

Main · proper noun⁷

1. Old French · derived frommagne
2. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*magan“to be able”
3. English todayMain

* As a Scottish surname, reduced from the North Germanic name Magnus. Also from the adjective main. * As a Scottish, English, French and Norman surname, from personal names derived from Proto-West Germanic *magan (“to be able”), similar to Mein. * As a Scottish, English and Norman surname, from the French province of Maine. Compare Mansell. * As a Scottish, English, and Norman surname, from the Anglo-Norman adjective maine (“great, large”), from Old French magne. * As a Scottish, English, Norman and French surname, from the noun main (“hand”).

Main · proper noun, noun⁸

From main.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal.
• from 16th c. Full, sheer, undivided.
• from 17th c. A large cable or pipe providing utility service to an area or a building, such as a water main or electric main.
• from 16th c. The high seas.
• from 16th c. The mainland.
• from 17th c. Ellipsis of mainsail.
• from 9th c. Force, power, strength, violent effort.