Main: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ”‘
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main

 

[ meษชn ]

Noun / Adjective
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

program

The largest or most important part of something.

Synonyms

chief, leading, primary, principal

Examples of usage

  • The main reason for his success was his dedication to his work.
  • The main character in the novel is a young woman searching for her identity.
Context #2 | Noun

waterway

A principal channel or pipe in a system for conveying water or gas.

Synonyms

channel, conduit, pipeline

Examples of usage

  • The mains in the neighborhood were being repaired, causing a temporary water outage.
  • The gas main was leaking and had to be fixed immediately.
Context #3 | Adjective

most important

Chief in size, extent, or importance; principal; leading.

Synonyms

chief, foremost, leading, primary

Examples of usage

  • The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss the budget for the upcoming year.
  • The main issue at hand is finding a solution to the environmental crisis.

Translations

Translations of the word "main" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น principal

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฎเฅเค–เฅเคฏ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช hauptsรคchlich

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ utama

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะณะพะปะพะฒะฝะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ gล‚รณwny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใƒกใ‚คใƒณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท principal

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ principal

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท ana

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ฃผ์š”ํ•œ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฑุฆูŠุณูŠ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ hlavnรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ hlavnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ไธป่ฆ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ glavni

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ aรฐal

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฝะตะณั–ะทะณั–

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ›แƒ—แƒแƒ•แƒแƒ แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ษ™sas

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ principal

Etymology

The word 'main' originated from the Old English word 'mรฆgen' meaning 'strength, power'. Over time, it evolved to refer to the largest or most important part of something. The use of 'main' as a waterway channel or pipe dates back to the 14th century. In modern usage, 'main' is commonly used to denote something of primary importance or significance.

See also: mainland, mainly, mainstay, mainstream.

Word Frequency Rank

With position #463, this word is vital for basic English fluency. It appears very frequently in everyday language and should be among the first words you learn and actively use.