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mainsail

American  
[meyn-seyl, meyn-suhl] / ˈmeɪnˌseɪl, ˈmeɪn səl /

noun

Nautical.
  1. the lowermost sail on a mainmast.


mainsail British  
/ ˈmeɪnsəl, ˈmeɪnˌseɪl /

noun

  1. nautical the largest and lowermost sail on the mainmast

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of mainsail

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at main 1, sail

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

If New Zealander Dean Barker doesn’t return, Paul Goodison of Britain, the mainsail trimmer in 2021, could take the helm.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 7, 2022

My father’s practice of sailing into the wind to raise or lower the mainsail?

From Washington Post • Sep. 6, 2017

They have built four stationary cycling stations into each hull to tap leg power instead of traditional arm power from the grinders to power the hydraulic systems that control the wing mainsail and the daggerboards.

From New York Times • Jun. 18, 2017

They’ve built four stationary cycling stations into each hull to tap leg power instead of traditional arm power from the grinders to power the hydraulic systems that control the wing mainsail and the daggerboards.

From The Guardian • Jun. 18, 2017

The mainsail line he had already cleated down.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

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