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Etymology
Dictionary
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Origin and Etymology of the word
MAIN.
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From An Etymology
Dictionary of the English Language, by Walter W. Skeat, 1893 |
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MAIN (1),
sb., strength, might. (E.) To be distinguished from main
(2), though both are from the same Aryan root. M.E. main, dat.
maine, Gower, C. A. iii. 4, l. 20; also mein, as in 'with al his mein,'
Floriz and Blauncheflor, ed. Lumby, l. 17.—A.S. mægen, strength; Grein,
ii. 217. + Icel. megin, strength.—Teut. base MAG, to have power = Aryan
✔MAGH; see
May (1). MAIN
(2), adj., chief,
principal. (F.,—L.) In Shak. Rich. III, v. 3.
299. Prob. not in use much earlier, though maine saile (=
main-sail) occurs in the Bible of 1551, Acts, xxvii. 40.—O.F. maine,
magne, great, chief (Burguy).—Lat. magnus, great.—✔MAGH,
to have power. See May
(1). ¶
In some cases, main = Icel. megin, strength, also
chief. Thus main sea = Icel. meginsjór.
But the root is the same. Der. main-ly; also main-deck, -mast,
-sail, -spring, -stay, -top, -yard; main-land.
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| Etymology
Dictionary Index |
| A, B,
C, D, E,
F, G, H,
I, J, K,
L, M, N,
O, P, Q,
R, S, T,
U, V, W,
X, Y, Z
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| Key |
| Arab.=Arabic. |
| A.S.=Anglo
Saxon. |
| Bavar.=Bavarian |
| Bohem.=Bohemian. |
| C.=Celtic,
used as a general term for Irish, Gaelic, Welsh, Breton,
Cornish, &c. |
| Corn.=Cornish. |
| Dan.=Danish. |
| Du.=Dutch |
| E.=English. |
| E.E.=Early
English. |
| Europ.=European. |
| F.=French. |
| G.=German. |
| Gk.=Greek. |
| Goth.=Gothic. |
| Icel.=Icelandic. |
| Ital.=Italian. |
| L. or
Lat.=Latin. |
| Lith.
& Lithuan.=Lithuanian. |
| M.E.=Middle
English. |
| M.F.=Middle
French |
| M.H.G.=Middle
High German. |
| Norw.=Norwegian. |
| O.F.=Old
French. |
| O.H.G.=Old
High German. |
| Pers.=Persian. |
| Port.=Portuguese. |
| Scand.=Scandinavian,
used as a general term for Icelandic, Swedish, Danish,
&c. |
| Sc.=Scottish. |
| Skt.=Sanskrit. |
| Span.=Spanish. |
| Swed.=Sweish. |
| Teut.=Teutonic |
| Turk.=Turkish. |
| W.=Welsh. |
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