mainstay

/ˈmeɪn.steɪ/

Etymology

From Middle English main stai, equivalent to main + stay (“rope”).

mainstay means A chief support. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 70 out of 100.

Why this word is great

MAINSTAY — [Noun] A person or thing that is the principal support or most dependable element of something. From Middle English main stai, equivalent to main ("principal, most important") + stay ("rope, support"). Unlike a cornerstone, which implies a singular, foundational element laid once, or a pillar, which connotes a stately, structural uprightness, a mainstay suggests a steadfast, resilient tension that bears the ongoing strain. It is the fraying hawser that moors the ship in a gale, the veteran teacher who has weathered every curriculum change, and the simple stew that appears on the table every Tuesday night—the humble, tensile force that makes endurance possible, the practical cord against which the ordinary chaos pulls.

noun

A chief support.“Agriculture is the mainstay of this country’s economy.”
Someone or something that can be depended on to make a regular contribution.“On the Bishops Stortford line, the crisis now seems to be over; the units designed for this service are the mainstay of the workings once again and although some of the inner suburban sets are still seen, very few L.T.S. Line units are noticeable.”
A stabilising rope from high on the mainmast to the base of the foremast.