Wiktionary

mainly

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English maynly; equivalent to main +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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mainly (not comparable)

  1. Chiefly; for the most part. [from 17th c.]
    • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter XII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
      She had Lord James' collar in one big fist and she pounded the table with the other and talked a blue streak. Nobody could make out plain what she said, for she was mainly jabbering Swede lingo, but there was English enough, of a kind, to give us some idee.
    • 2021 August 17, Elizabeth Wallace and Kai Burkhardt, “12 breathable face masks to protect you while exercising”, in CNN‎[1]:
      If you’re looking for the most breathable mask, Lukovics says, “Cotton is preferable, mainly for absorbing moisture/sweat.” She says multiple layers may be more protective but will also impact breathability.
  2. (obsolete) Forcefully, vigorously. [13th–17th c.]
  3. (obsolete) Of the production of a sound: loudly, powerfully. [14th–19th c.]
  4. (obsolete) To a great degree; very much. [15th–19th c.]

Synonyms

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Translations

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See also

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Anagrams

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Middle English

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Adverb

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mainly

  1. Alternative form of maynly
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