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maxi

1 American  
[mak-see] / ˈmæk si /

noun

plural

maxis

  1. maxiskirt.

  2. a garment having a maxiskirt, as a coat.

  3. of the length of a maxiskirt; having a maxiskirt.

maxi- 2 American  

  1. a combining form with the meanings “very large in comparison with others of its kind” (maxi-budget; maxi-taxi ); “of great scope or intensity” (maxi-devaluation; maxi-service ); (of clothing) “long, nearly ankle-length” (maxicoat; maxiskirt ).

maxi British  
/ ˈmæksɪ /

adjective

    1. (of a garment) reaching the ankle

    2. ( as noun )

      she wore a maxi

    3. ( in combination )

      a maxidress
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a type of large racing yacht

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does maxi- mean? Maxi- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “very large” or "of great scope or intensity." It is occasionally used in a variety of everyday terms, especially in fashion.Maxi- comes from a shortening of maximal or maximum, meaning "greatest possible." The word maximum comes from Latin maximus, the superlative form of magnus, meaning "great" or "large." This Latin word is also related to the root of the terms maxim, "an expression of a general truth or principle," and major “greater in size.” Learn more at our entries for maxim and major.

Etymology

Origin of maxi1

1965–70; shortening of maxiskirt, or independent use of maxi-

Origin of maxi-2

Shortening of maximal or maximum, by analogy with mini-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In August's print edition of Vogue, a Guess advert features a flawless blonde model showing off a striped maxi dress and a floral playsuit from the brand's summer collection.

From BBC • Jul. 26, 2025

The suits, maxi skirts, and voluminous sleeves of the era marked not just a trend, analysts predicted, but a lasting shift in what women wanted fashion to be.

From Slate • Dec. 14, 2024

She told Wiig that the jackets were not all that special anymore, adding, “They basically hand those out to everybody like free maxi pads.”

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2024

“We tell folks if you’re soaking through a maxi pad, two, in an hour to two hours, they should seek help.”

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2024

The maxi would be cotton, of course, sewn by village women in the Sundarbans who fiercely protect our Bengal tigers from poachers.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.