How Do You Spell MAINTAIN?

Pronunciation: [me͡ɪntˈe͡ɪn] (IPA)

The word "maintain" is spelled with two vowels, "ai", which are pronounced as the diphthong /eɪ/. The consonants, "m", "n", "t", and "n", are pronounced as /m/, /neɪ/, /teɪ/, and /n/, respectively. The final syllable, "-tain", is pronounced with the r-controlled vowel /eɪn/. This word is commonly misspelled as "maintainance" or "maintainence", which is incorrect. The correct spelling is "maintenance". Maintaining proper spelling is important for effective communication and professional writing.

MAINTAIN Meaning and Definition

1. Maintain is a verb that can have several related definitions.

   One of the primary meanings of maintain is to keep something in existence or continue to support or preserve it. This can refer to physical objects, such as maintaining a building or a machine in good condition by performing regular repairs and necessary updates. It can also pertain to intangible things, such as maintaining an idea or a tradition over time.

   Maintain can also mean to assert or state something, often in a forceful or confident manner. In this sense, it involves affirming or upholding a belief, opinion, or position. For example, someone might maintain that climate change is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed urgently.

   Furthermore, maintain can be used to describe the act of providing for the needs of someone or something. This can include anything from maintaining a family by providing financial support to maintaining a garden through watering and pruning plants.

   Lastly, maintain can mean to adhere to or abide by a certain standard or condition. This can refer to personal habits like maintaining a healthy diet or keeping up with regular exercise. It can also extend to professional settings, such as maintaining a high level of professionalism in the workplace.

   Overall, maintain encompasses the ideas of sustaining, upholding, asserting, and providing for, depending on the context in which it is used.

2. To hold or preserve in some particular state or condition; to defend; to vindicate; to support by argument; to justify; to support with food, clothing, &c.; to affirm or assert.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for MAINTAIN *

• maintian 17.8999295%
• maintaince 6.2015503%
• maintin 2.3960535%
• mainatin 2.60747%
• mainting 1.5503875%
• matain 1.1275546%
• mainain 0.7751937%
• manintain 0.7047216%
• mantaing 0.4228329%
• maintaint 0.1409443%
• mantains 0.0704721%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for MAINTAIN

• mainaing
• montain
• maintiaing
• maintaion
• cantain
• matintain
• mouintain
• maintaina
• mointain
• maintainin
• manintaing
• mainitan
• mantan
• maountain
• mintaing
• maintans
• maintanon
• Qwintain
• mainmann
• Manutain
• Machtain
• Babantain

Etymology of MAINTAIN

The word "maintain" derives from the Latin word "manutenēre", which consists of two parts: "manus", meaning "hand", and "tenēre", meaning "to hold". The combination of these two parts creates the idea of "holding with the hand" or "keeping in one's hands". Over time, the Latin word evolved into the Old French word "maintenir", which carried the connotation of "to keep up, support, or preserve". This Old French term eventually made its way into Middle English as "mainteynen" and later transformed into the modern English word "maintain". As such, the etymology of "maintain" reflects the concept of continued possessions, support, or preservation.

Idioms with the word MAINTAIN

• maintain sth at sth The idiom "maintain something at something" typically means to keep something in a particular condition or state. It implies the act of taking necessary actions or measures to sustain a certain level, status, or quality of something. It can refer to physical objects, systems, relationships, or any other aspect that requires continuous effort to preserve or retain a desired state.
• maintain sm in sth The idiom "maintain someone in something" typically means to provide ongoing financial support or sustenance to a person or to ensure their continued presence in a particular environment or situation. It can also refer to upholding a particular state, condition, or position for someone or something.
• maintain (oneself or someone) in (something) The idiom "maintain oneself or someone in something" means to provide the necessary support, resources, or conditions for oneself or someone else to continue staying in a particular state, situation, or position. It involves ensuring the continuation of a certain lifestyle, level of comfort, or status for oneself or another person.
• keep (or maintain) a low profile To keep a low profile means to avoid attracting attention; to act in a way that does not draw notice or suspicion. It can also refer to maintaining a quiet and unobtrusive presence in order to stay discreet or hidden.

Similar spelling words for MAINTAIN

• maintenance,
• maintenon,
• manhattan,
• mandamus,
• maintainer,
• Mandaean,
• Mantini,
• Mandean,
• man-to-man,
• mantinea,
• mantineia,
• maintained,
• Manton,
• manawydan,
• Mandaeanism.

Conjugate verb Maintain

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have maintained

you would have maintained

he/she/it would have maintained

we would have maintained

they would have maintained

I would have maintain

you would have maintain

he/she/it would have maintain

we would have maintain

they would have maintain

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been maintaining

you would have been maintaining

he/she/it would have been maintaining

we would have been maintaining

they would have been maintaining

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would maintain

you would maintain

he/she/it would maintain

we would maintain

they would maintain

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be maintaining

you would be maintaining

he/she/it would be maintaining

we would be maintaining

they would be maintaining

FUTURE

I will maintain

you will maintain

he/she/it will maintain

we will maintain

they will maintain

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be maintaining

you will be maintaining

he/she/it will be maintaining

we will be maintaining

they will be maintaining

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have maintained

you will have maintained

he/she/it will have maintained

we will have maintained

they will have maintained

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been maintaining

you will have been maintaining

he/she/it will have been maintaining

we will have been maintaining

they will have been maintaining

IMPERATIVE

you maintain

we let´s maintain

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to maintain

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was maintaining

you were maintaining

he/she/it was maintaining

we were maintaining

they were maintaining

PAST PARTICIPLE

maintained

PAST PERFECT

I had maintained

you had maintained

he/she/it had maintained

we had maintained

they had maintained

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been maintaining

you had been maintaining

he/she/it had been maintaining

we had been maintaining

they had been maintaining

PRESENT

I maintain

you maintain

he/she/it maintains

we maintain

they maintain

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am maintaining

you are maintaining

he/she/it is maintaining

we are maintaining

they are maintaining

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

maintaining

PRESENT PERFECT

I have maintained

you have maintained

he/she/it has maintained

we have maintained

they have maintained

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been maintaining

you have been maintaining

he/she/it has been maintaining

we have been maintaining

they have been maintaining

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it maintain

SIMPLE PAST

I maintained

you maintained

he/she/it maintained

we maintained

they maintained