Where does “main” come from?

main (Middle English) comes from Old English mæġen, from Proto-Germanic maginą, from Proto-Indo-European mēgh- — to be able.

main (Middle English): Alternative form of mayn

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of mayn

Ancestry of “main”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishmæġenmight, main; strength
2Proto-Germanicmaginąability, power, might, main
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmēgh-to be able

Words derived from “main”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European mēgh- →Every word from Proto-Germanic maginą →Every word from Old English mæġen →