*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of amain

From a- (prefix with the sense ‘at; in; on; with’, used to show a state, condition, or manner) + main (“force, power, strength”). Main is derived from Middle English mayn (“strength”), from Old English mæġen (“strength”)

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
adv

With all of one's might; mightily; forcefully, violently. · At full speed; also, in great haste. · Out of control. · Exceedingly; overmuch.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From a- (prefix with the sense ‘at; in; on; with’, used to show a state, condition, or manner) + main (“force, power, strength”). Main is derived from Middle English mayn (“strength”), from Old English mæġen (“strength”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą (“might, power, strength”), *maginaz (“strong”), from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Root classification mention*megʰ-ine-pro
  • Inherited-form mentionmaynenm · strength
  • Inherited-form mentionmæġenang · strength
  • Inherited-form mention*maginągem-pro · might, power, strength
  • Derivation mention*megʰ-ine-pro · to be able
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "dercat",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "langname",
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European"
    },
    {
      "name": "word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine",
        "3": "ḱóm"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*megʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "glossary",
      "args": {
        "1": "prefix"
      },
      "expansion": "prefix"
    },
    {
      "name": "prefix",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "a",
        "3": "main",
        "pos1": "prefix with the sense ‘at; in; on; with’, used to show a state, condition, or manner",
        "t2": "force, power, strength"
      },
      "expansion": "a- (prefix with the sense ‘at; in; on; with’, used to show a state, condition, or manner) + main (“force, power, strength”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "mayn",
        "t": "strength"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English mayn (“strength”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "mæġen",
        "t": "strength"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English mæġen (“strength”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*maginą",
        "t": "might, power, strength"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *maginą (“might, power, strength”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*megʰ-",
        "t": "to be able"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "a-",
      "a-#English"
    ],
    [
      "main",
      "main#English"
    ],
    [
      "mayn",
      "mayn#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "mæġen",
      "mægen#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*maginą",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/maginą"
    ],
    [
      "*maginaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/maginaz"
    ],
    [
      "*megʰ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/megʰ-"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adv",
      "glosses": [
        "With all of one's might; mightily; forcefully, violently.",
        "At full speed; also, in great haste.",
        "Out of control.",
        "Exceedingly; overmuch."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "literary",
        "UK",
        "dialectal",
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "e471ee59e8eecf02e22b54b0d446ff06827e4390cdb0777baf5c471b8076c37d",
      "rawRecordSha256": "f8a575092b9e30f452c6e6f03e95bf1b80a992d5dda8c6465f8fe156c4dc273f",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 526435
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To lower (the sail of a ship, particularly the topsail). · To decrease or reduce (something). · To lower the topsail in token of surrender; to yield.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Spanish amainar (“to reef a sail (take in part of a sail to adapt its size to the force of the wind); to abate, die down, subside; to ease off, let up; of a person: to calm down, control one’s anger”); further etymology uncertain, probably from a regional Italian (Naples) word (compare Italian ammainare (“to lower or reef (a flag, sail, etc.)”)), from Vulgar Latin *invagīnare (“to sheathe (a sword); to put away, stow”), from Latin in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + vāgīna (“scabbard, sheath; covering, holder; vagina”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂ǵ- (“to cover; sheath”)); this would make it a doublet of invaginate.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Root classification mention*weh₂ǵ-ine-pro
  • Borrowed-form mentionamainares · to reef a sail (take in part of a sail to adapt its size to the force of the wind); to abate, die down, subside; to ease off, let up; of a person: to calm down, control one’s anger
  • Derivation mentionammainareit · to lower or reef (a flag, sail, etc.)
  • Derivation mentionin-la
  • Derivation mention*weh₂ǵ-ine-pro · to cover; sheath
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "dercat",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "langname",
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European"
    },
    {
      "name": "word",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine",
        "3": "h₁én"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*weh₂ǵ-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "es",
        "3": "amainar",
        "t": "to reef a sail (take in part of a sail to adapt its size to the force of the wind); to abate, die down, subside; to ease off, let up; of a person: to calm down, control one’s anger"
      },
      "expansion": "Spanish amainar (“to reef a sail (take in part of a sail to adapt its size to the force of the wind); to abate, die down, subside; to ease off, let up; of a person: to calm down, control one’s anger”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "it",
        "3": "ammainare",
        "t": "to lower or reef (a flag, sail, etc.)"
      },
      "expansion": "Italian ammainare (“to lower or reef (a flag, sail, etc.)”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la-vul",
        "3": "*invagīnare",
        "t": "to sheathe (a sword); to put away, stow"
      },
      "expansion": "Vulgar Latin *invagīnare (“to sheathe (a sword); to put away, stow”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "glossary",
      "args": {
        "1": "prefix"
      },
      "expansion": "prefix"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "in-",
        "pos": "prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*weh₂ǵ-",
        "t": "to cover; sheath"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *weh₂ǵ- (“to cover; sheath”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "dbt",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "invaginate",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "doublet of invaginate"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "amainar",
      "amainar#Spanish"
    ],
    [
      "ammainare",
      "ammainare#Italian"
    ],
    [
      "*invagīnare",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/invaginare"
    ],
    [
      "in-",
      "in-#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "vāgīna",
      "vagina#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "*weh₂ǵ-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/weh₂ǵ-"
    ],
    [
      "invaginate",
      "invaginate#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To lower (the sail of a ship, particularly the topsail).",
        "To decrease or reduce (something).",
        "To lower the topsail in token of surrender; to yield."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "transitive",
        "figuratively",
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "30502cc955776c4ffc27dc6b6ffc8a6f3021150eaf810df66d714cb14e6b6264",
      "rawRecordSha256": "5422d80c542619feeeb5fa1367c58744e5d41613adc5cfea5300397e7db2c465",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 526436
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for amain →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-YW1haW4