English

main

/meɪn/
Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal.

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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English mayn, main, maine, mæin, meyn, from main (noun) (see further at etymology 2); compare Old English mæġen (“strong, main, principal”) (used in combination) and Old Norse megn, megenn (“strong, main”).

    The word is cognate with Old High German megīn (“strong, mighty”) (modern German Möge, Vermögen (“power, wealth”)), and also akin to Old English magan (“to be able to”). See also may.

    Etymology 2

    From Middle English mayn, main, maine, mæine, mæȝen, from Old English mæġen (“strength”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą (“strength, power, might”), *maginaz (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“be able”).

    The word is cognate with Old High German magen, megin, Old Norse magn, megn, megin, Old Saxon megin. More recent senses are derived from the adjective.

    Etymology 3

    Uncertain; probably from the adjective main. Evidence is lacking for a derivation from French main (“hand”).

    Etymology 4

    Uncertain, possibly from French main (“hand”).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • rootProto-Indo-European*megʰ- “be able”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishmayn “strength”
      • inheritedOld Englishmæġen “strength”
        • inheritedProto-Germanic*maginą “strength, power, might”
    • derivedFrenchmain “hand”

    Related: Old High German megīn, German Möge, Old English magan, Old High German magen, Old Norse magn, Old Saxon megin

    Sources