Where does “main” come from?
Main comes from French main, from Latin manus meaning "hand," from Proto-Indo-European men- or man-, both roots relating to manual action.
main (English): Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal;...
Definitions
- Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal;...
Ancestry of “main”, step by step
main traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via French main
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | main | hand; handball |
| 2 | Middle French | main | hand |
| 3 | Old French | main | hand |
| 4 | Latin | manus | hand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | manus | hand |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | man- | human being; man; hand |
via Middle English mayn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | mayn | Strongness or physical capability; Governmental... |
| 2 | Old English | mæġen | might, main; strength |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | maginą | ability, power, might, main |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | mēgh- | to be able |
via English tweet
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tweet | The sound of a bird; any short high-pitched sound... |