# maim vs main

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### maim
*verb · IPA /meɪm/ · frequency rank #44,918*
To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body.

### main
*adjective · IPA /meɪn/ · frequency rank #574*
Of chief or leading importance; prime, principal.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/maim-vs-main