mains

M3A1I1N1S1
UK/meɪnz/

noun

The domestic electrical power supply, especially as connected to a network or grid.

“mains electricity, mains voltage”

Similar
home farm
CommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

mains1

noun
  1. pluralplural of main
nounmains (uncountable)
  1. UKuncountableThe domestic electrical power supply, especially as connected to a network or grid.

    mains electricity, mains voltage

    2 more examples

    I plugged it into the mains and it blew up!

    We don't have mains power out here, only a generator.

  2. UKuncountableA large-scale network or grid supplying any of various other services, such as water, gas or sewerage, to properties.

    We have gas heating, but it's bottled gas, not mains gas.

    1 more example

    The properties formerly relied on a well, but are now connected to the mains water supply.

  3. uncountableThe main course of a meal.
verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of main

mains2

nounmains (plural mains)
  1. ScotlandThe farm attached to a mansion house.

    Though no minister would visit the Skerburnfoot, or, if he went, departed quicker than he came, the girl Ailie attended regular at the catechising at the mains of Sker.

    1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide

    Synonyms: home farm

Mains3

noun
  1. pluralplural of Main

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe farm attached to a mansion house.

Similar
home farm
Also see
home farm

Origin

Related to manse.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish verkko, sähköt
  • verkkodomestic electrical supply
  • sähkötdomestic electrical supply
  • seinädomestic electrical supply
  • vesijohtoverkkopipes of a centralized water supply
  • vesijohdotpipes of a centralized water supply
German Stromnetz
  • Stromnetzdomestic electrical supply
Hungarian hálózat, hálózati áram
  • hálózatdomestic electrical supply
  • hálózati áramdomestic electrical supply
Polish sieć
  • siećdomestic electrical supply

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with mains

remainsgainsplainslanesgrainsbrainspainsKeynesrainsstainsHainescanesDanesreinspanesmanescremainsplum rains
All rhymes →

Anagrams

minasmanisMansiNasimMasinSinam
Cite this entry
APA

mains. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mains

MLA

“mains.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mains. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mains,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mains.

Source: mains on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.