Maxim

WOTD - 13 November 2009    

See also Maxim

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Template:Xno[[Category:Template:Xno derivations|Maxim]] 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 propositio maxima "greatest premise").

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈmak.sɪm/
• (US) IPA: /ˈmæk.sɪm/

• Audio (US)	noicon
  (file)

Noun

Singular Maxim

Plural {{{1}}}

Maxim ({{{1}}})

1. (now rare) A self-evident axiom or premise; a pithy expression of a general principle or rule.
2. A precept; a succinct statement or observation of a rule of conduct or moral teaching.
   • 1776, Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, page 768:

     In every age and country of the world men must have attended to the characters, designs, and actions of one another, and many reputable rules and maxims for the conduct of human life, must have been laid down and approved of by common consent.

Synonyms

• (precept, succint statement): aphorism, cliche enthymeme, proverb, saying
• See also Wikisaurus:saying

Translations

moral precept

Danish: maksime da(da) c. Finnish: maksiimi fi(fi) Italian: massima it(it) f., principio it(it) m. Japanese: 格言(かくげん, kakugen) Macedonian: начело mk(mk) (náčelo) n., максима mk(mk) (maksíma) f.

Norwegian: maksime no(no) m. Portuguese: máxima pt(pt) f. Spanish: máxima es(es) f. Swedish: maxim sv(sv) c.

See also

• adage
• aphorism
• apophthegm

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Ido

Adverb

Template:Io-adv

1. most

Antonyms

• minim

et:maxim fr:maxim io:maxim ie:maxim kn:maxim hu:maxim ml:maxim pl:maxim fi:maxim ta:maxim te:maxim tr:maxim vi:maxim zh:maxim