# maximum

/ˈmæksəməm/ (US) · /mˈæksɪməm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/maximum
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. highest limit

noun · CEFR B1

the largest amount or highest level that is possible or allowed.

For teachers: the greatest quantity or degree reached or permitted.

- The maximum number of people allowed in the lift is eight.
- The legal maximum for noise levels in residential areas is strictly enforced after ten o'clock at night.

Usage: Often used with 'of' followed by a plural noun.

### 2. math/statistics

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic · Technical

the largest value in a group of numbers or a graph.

For teachers: the greatest value of a set, sample, or mathematical function.

- The graph shows a maximum at the point where the temperature was highest.
- To find the local maximum, the student had to calculate the first derivative of the function and solve for zero.

Usage: The plural can be either 'maximums' or the more formal 'maxima'.

### 3. maximum security prison

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a type of prison for the most dangerous criminals.

For teachers: a classification of prison facility designed for high-risk inmates requiring the highest level of control.

- He was sentenced to twenty years in maximum for his crimes.
- After the attempted escape, the prisoner was transferred from a medium-security facility to maximum.

Teaching tip: In this sense, 'maximum' is used as a shorthand noun for 'maximum security prison' in informal or journalistic contexts.

### 4. greatest possible

adjective · CEFR B1

being the largest amount or highest level possible.

For teachers: denoting the greatest possible amount, degree, or intensity.

- The car can reach a maximum speed of 120 miles per hour.
- The project requires maximum effort from every team member if we are to meet the deadline by Friday.

## Examples

- The maximum for this elevator is ten people.
- The stadium reached its maximum capacity an hour before the championship game began.
- The researchers recorded a maximum of fifty degrees Celsius, marking the highest temperature ever observed in this specific region during the summer months.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.