Meaning
A man's main, steady, or number-one girlfriend — the primary partner he claims and takes seriously, as opposed to a 'side ting' (a fling on the side). In the dancehall vocabulary of relationships, the 'main gyal' holds the top position and expects respect and priority, and the tension between her and any 'matey' or side girl is a running theme.
Examples
-
She a him main gyal, di odda one just a side ting.
She's his main girlfriend; the other one is just a fling.
-
Every man supposed to put him main gyal first.
Every man is supposed to put his main girl first.
-
Di main gyal find out bout di matey.
The main girlfriend found out about the mistress.
Origin
From 'main' (primary) + 'gyal' (girl); the number-one girlfriend. See [[side-ting]], [[matey]].
How it’s used
A man's primary/steady girlfriend (vs a 'side ting'). See [[side-ting]], [[matey]], [[wifey]].