Hiram Percy, 1869–1936, U.S. inventor.
his father Sir Hiram Stevens, 1840–1916, English inventor, born in the U.S.: inventor of the Maxim gun.
Hudson, 1853–1927, U.S. inventor and explosives expert (brother of Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim).
a male given name, form of Maximilian.
What is a maxim? A maxim is a principle or guiding rule. A maxim is a rule, principle, or helpful guide that leads to a general truth, such as “Actions speak louder than words” and “Strive for greatness.”Different fields of philosophy develop many rules or guiding principles based on the founder of that philosophy’s studies. These will often be called maxims and will be attributed to that founder, such as Confucious’s maxims, Marx’s maxims, and Voltaire’s maxims. Maxim also describes a written or understood rule of conduct, as discussed within an organization. For example, a science lab may discuss a maxim of always keeping goggles on in certain areas of the lab. Example: My aunt, who was a short woman, often quoted the maxim “good things come in small packages.”
See proverb.
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English maxime ultimately from Medieval Latin maxima (originally in the phrase maxima prōpositiō “axiom,” literally, “greatest proposition”), noun use of feminine of Latin maximus, superlative of magnus “great”; see much
A maxim is a succinct formulation of a principle, rule, or basic truth about life. Usually clever, maxims are like great sayings everybody knows. Ben Franklin is the author of many, including "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." A maxim sums up a fundamental principle or truth about something in a way that captures the imagination and gets repeated. Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of Vogue magazine, once said, "Pink is the navy blue of India." May not be true, but it was such a great line it has become a maxim of fashion and even of India. An overused maxim of real estate is "Location, location, location." Confucius was spewing maxims long before Vogue hit the magazine stands: "He who learns but does not think is lost."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The first Graham showcased how the ability to compartmentalize in politics can be a great gift — a nod to the old maxim that today’s enemy might be tomorrow’s friend.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Billionaire Warren Buffett had a simple maxim for navigating Berkshire Hathaway through the financial crisis of 2007-09.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
In the coaching world, there is a maxim some believe in - that teams are built in the image of their coaches.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
It’s a maxim investors ignore at their peril.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026
“It’s only numbers, cadet,” Hauptmann says, a favorite maxim.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Indeed, the only one of Brighton's eight representatives to make it past the last 16 was Belgium left-back Maxim de Cuyper who played in all six of their matches, starting five.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Maxim Huet, 24, who was visiting from Paris last weekend, said he had no problem with the Sunday rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
She’s appeared in Maxim and cleaned up in poker tournaments when that was a thing.
From Salon ● May 4, 2026
Maxim, 49, said the health ministry directive was only a recommendation.
From Barron's ● Apr. 1, 2026
“Come on, Bee,” shouted Giles, “I felt a spot of rain, so we’ve put on the cover. Maxim says the glass is falling.”
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
How many of these business maxims from his “Poor Richard’s Almanack” can you remember?
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
“Be greedy when others are fearful” is one half of one of Warren Buffett’s most well-known investing maxims.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
Journalists, so those maxims go, should never make themselves the story or get too close to those they are covering.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024
One of Elizabeth II’s wry maxims was, “I have to be seen to be believed.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2024
He flung out all his favored maxims as if strewing flowers after my brother.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
