noun
- a person or thing that provides crucial support or is the most important element of something
- a strong rope or cable that supports a ship’s mainmast
Usage: nautical
Examples
- Tourism is the mainstay of the island’s economy.
- She has been the mainstay of our organization for twenty years.
- Small businesses are the mainstay of this community.
- The captain checked the mainstay before setting sail.
- Rice is the mainstay of their diet.
- He was the mainstay of the team’s defense.
- The old oak tree was a mainstay of the neighborhood landscape.