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Showing results for mainsail. Search instead for moonsails.

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; 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.

Fisher said he and Mettraux were under cover in the cockpit while sailing downwind with one reef in the mainsail when the boat nose-dived into a large wave and they heard a loud bang.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 11, 2021

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

“We’re in a good space and everybody definitely remembers that,” said Ashby, who trims the giant wing mainsail.

From Washington Times • May 24, 2017

The boat will rotate, about sixty degrees, and the mainsail and boom will swing from one side to the other.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt