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French word maintenant is a form of the French word maintenir (maintain), which itself is equivalent to main (hand) and tenant (holding). The word supposedly referred to the period "while something is being held in the hand", from which the temporal proximity and the meaning of "now" derives
maintenir (French)
(reflexive, se maintenir) to keep up. (reflexive, se maintenir) to persist. (reflexive, se maintenir, of the weather) to stay fair. To maintain. To stick to.
maintenant (French)
Now, currently.