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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; 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

As the mainsail swung across the boat, the mainsheet system caught Fisher and knocked him off, the team said.

From Washington Times • Mar. 29, 2018

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

Jerry let down the mainsail and gathered it in, wrapping it around the boom and looping a line around it to hold it.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt