English

mainyard

From main + yard.

A compound of main + yard

Middle English mayn

English main

Proto-Indo-European *gʰerdʰ- ‘to enclose’

…

Proto-Germanic *gardaz ‘enclosure’

Proto-West Germanic *gard ‘enclosure’

Old English ġeard ‘yard’

Middle English yerd ‘the property surrounding an estate or manor’

English yard

Today it means

noun The yard of the mainmast, from which the mainsail is hung

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / mainyard