main

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Adjective 1.2.1.1 Translations 1.2.1.2 Derived terms 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.3.1.1 Quotations 1.3.1.2 Translations 1.3.1.3 Derived terms 1.4 See also 2 Finnish 2.1 Noun 3 French 3.1 Etymology 3.2 Pronunciation 3.3 Noun 3.3.1 Synonyms 3.3.2 Holonyms 3.3.3 Meronyms 3.3.4 Derived terms 3.4 Anagrams 4 Indonesian 4.1 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: mān, IPA: /meɪn/, SAMPA: /meIn/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -eɪn

• Homophones: mane, Maine

[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English mayn, from Old English mægen (“‘strength’”), from Proto-Germanic *maginam, from Proto-Indo-European *magh-.

[edit] Adjective

main (not comparable)

1. Principal, most important.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

• main drag

[edit] Etymology 2

From Old English mægen (“‘strength’”), the sense of the word which is now the rarest.

[edit] Noun

main (plural mains)

1. (rare) mainland
2. (dated, now rare, except in the Spanish Main) The high seas.
3. A large pipe or cable providing utility service to a building or area, such as water main or electric main.
4. (nautical) shortened form of mainsail.
5. (rare, except in might and main) Strength.

[edit] Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

• (large pipe or cable): gas main, mains (electricity, water), water main

[edit] See also

• Main

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[edit] Finnish

[edit] Noun

main

1. Instructive plural form of maa.

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

Latin manus (“‘hand’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /mɛ̃/, X-SAMPA: /me~/, /mE~/

   Audio (France, Paris)^{help, file}

• Homophones: mains, maint, maints
• Hyphenation: main

[edit] Noun

main f. (plural mains)

1. hand.
2. (soccer) handball

[edit] Synonyms

• louche
• mimine
• paluche
• pince

[edit] Holonyms

• bras

[edit] Meronyms

• doigt
• dos
• paume
• poignet
• pouce

[edit] Derived terms

• baisemain
• mainlevée
• mainmettre
• mainmortable
• mainmorte
• mainmuable
• tournemain

[edit] Anagrams

• Alphagram: aimn
• iman
• mina

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[edit] Indonesian

[edit] Verb

main (bermain)

1. To play