mainstay
noun/ˈmeɪnˌsteɪ/
Frequency rank: #12,283 most common English word
Meaning
the most important part or chief support of something.

Example sentence
Tourism has long been mainstay of the island's economy.
Synonyms & related words
Practice this word in the quiz
More words in ranks 12,201–12,300
- jestA joke or playful remark; something said or done to cause amusement.
- leakyallowing liquid or gas to pass through unintended holes or cracks.
- libidosexual drive or desire; psychic energy associated with instinctual urges.
- lynxa wild cat with tufted ears, a short tail, and spotted fur, found in forests of North America, Europe, and Asia.
- mainlineto inject a drug directly into a vein.
- mannequinA life-sized dummy used to display clothes in a store.
- marketableable to be sold easily; attractive to buyers or employers.
- masterfulperformed or done with great skill and confidence; showing mastery.
- maximalas great, large, or intense as possible; reaching the highest possible degree.
- mimeto use gestures and body movements to express something without speaking.