Word
maxim
Phoneticsmax·im, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmæksəm/
UK/mˈæksɪm/
Definitions
01a rule of conduct
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a short, wise saying that gives advice on how you should act.
n. a succinct statement of a moral principle or a rule of conduct.
日本語:格言※
“He lived his life by the maxim that you should treat others as you want to be treated.”
“The CEO often quoted the maxim 'fail fast, learn faster' during quarterly meetings to encourage innovation among the staff.”
02a general truth
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic · Formal
n. a short sentence that expresses a basic truth about life or the world.
n. a pithy expression of a general principle or self-evident truth.
“It is a common legal maxim that ignorance of the law is no excuse.”
“The philosopher's work is built upon the maxim that all knowledge begins with the senses.”
Synonyms
03a type of machine gun
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Technical · Archaic
n. an early type of machine gun used in wars in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
n. a recoil-operated machine gun, specifically the design patented by Hiram Maxim in 1884.
“The soldiers were trained to maintain the Maxim during the long trench battles.”
“The introduction of the Maxim gun fundamentally altered infantry tactics during the late nineteenth-century colonial campaigns.”
Synonyms
Usage
Commonly used with verbs like 'follow', 'live by', or 'adopt'.
Real-World Examples
“Unravelled, which presents a tangle of white lines against a night-blue background, might seem to meet Paul Klee’s maxim that making a drawing is like “taking a line for a walk”.” “It’s another proof of William Goldman’s maxim that nobody knows anything.” Etymology
* (machine guns): After the inventor Sir Hiram Maxim (1840-1916).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/maxim
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0