mainstreet
mainstreet Lexical Profile
mainstreet Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
North American Relating to or characteristic of the traditional values, small businesses, and everyday people of a typical small town, often contrasted with large financial or corporate interests.
"The economic recovery package was designed to support mainstreet merchants rather than multinational corporations."
• noun
North American The principal commercial street of a town or small city, serving as the primary hub for local retail shops and civic life.
"The historic mainstreet was lined with independent bookshops, bakeries, and a century-old courthouse."
• verb
Canadian To campaign for political office by walking along the main commercial streets of a town to greet and converse with voters in person.
"The candidate spent all Saturday afternoon mainstreeting in rural ridings to hear voters' concerns firsthand."
Word Nuance & Usage
While usually written as two words ('main street' or capitalized 'Main Street') in American and British English, the solid compound 'mainstreet' is common in Canadian English—especially as a verb meaning to campaign in public—and as a prenominal modifier.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.