Etymology Explorer › English

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

  1. Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal;...

Ancestry of “main”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmainhand; handball
2Middle Frenchmainhand
3Old Frenchmainhand
4Latinmanushand; bravery, valor; violence, fighting
5Proto-Italicmanushand
6Proto-Indo-Europeanman-human being; man; hand

Words derived from “main”

  • mainstream
  • mains
  • mainline
  • mainframe
  • mainsail
  • mainmast
  • mainspring
  • amain
  • maine
  • mainstem
  • maintop
  • mainsheet
  • mainyard
  • nonmainstream
  • maintopmast
  • mainshock
  • mainstage
  • mainbrace
  • maincrop
  • mainboard
  • mainchain
  • nonmain
  • antimainstream
  • mainliner
Every word from Proto-Indo-European man- →