Added 9 October 2026
mainstay
/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/ noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mainstay at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
A chief support.
Agriculture is the mainstay of this country’s economy.
- Someone or something that can be depended on to make a regular contribution.
- A stabilising rope from high on the mainmast to the base of the foremast.
Origin
From Middle English main stai, equivalent to main + stay (“rope”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)