Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

maxim

/ˈmæk.sɪm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.39 in modern English

Syllables
max-im
IPA
/ˈmæk.sɪm/
16
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Alternative letter-case form of Maxim.

name

A surname

noun

The Maxim gun, a British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War I.

noun

Any machine gun that derives from the design pattern of Maxim's patented design

noun

A machine gun

Informal; Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman maxime and Middle French maxime, from Late Latin maxima (“axiom”), noun use of the feminine singular form of Latin maximus (apparently as used in the phrase prōpositiō maxima (“greatest premise”)). Doublet of maxima.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈmæk.sɪm/
  • British English: /ˈmæk.sɪm/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce maxim?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈmæk.sɪm/.
What does maxim mean?
A self-evident axiom or premise; a pithy expression of a general principle or rule.
Where does maxim come from?
It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce maxim

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “maxim”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈmæk.sɪm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “maxim”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “maxim” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.