mainstream

[ meyn-streem ]

noun

1. the principal or dominant course, tendency, or trend:

   the mainstream of American culture.

2. a river having tributaries.
3. regular school classes or regular schools:

   keeping autistic students in the mainstream.

adjective

1. belonging to or characteristic of a principal, dominant, or widely accepted group, movement, style, etc.:

   mainstream Republicans;

   a mainstream artist;

   mainstream media.

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of jazz falling historically between Dixieland and modern jazz; specifically, swing music. Compare traditional ( def 5 ).

verb (used with object)

1. to send into the mainstream; cause to join the main force, group, etc.:

   to mainstream young people into the labor force.

2. to place (students with disabilities) in regular school classes.

verb (used without object)

1. to join or be placed in the mainstream.

mainstream

/ ˈmeɪnˌstriːm /

noun

1. 1. the main current (of a river, cultural trend, etc)

      in the mainstream of modern literature

   2. ( as modifier )

      mainstream politics

adjective

1. of or relating to the style of jazz that lies between the traditional and the modern

mainstream

1. The prevailing current or direction of a movement or influence: “The candidate's speech represented the mainstream thinking on economic policy.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mainstream¹

First recorded in 1660–70; main ¹ + stream

Example Sentences

Those brands will either have to absorb tariffs or raise costs and quality to compete with mainstream brands, he said.

From Salon

"There are EU regulations around the use of lead, but piezoelectrics are one of the last remaining mainstream technologies allowed to contain this substance because there is no high-performance alternative," Associate Professor Guerin explained.

From Science Daily

What were we seeing that the mainstream news media and commentariat types — especially the professional centrists — were not?

From Salon

Several parents told BBC News they had been forced to take their children out of mainstream schools because they could not accommodate their EHCPs.

From BBC

“Owning the libs” is just a middle finger back to mainstream society.

From Salon