maximal
Americanadjective
adjective
-
of, relating to, or achieving a maximum; being the greatest or best possible
-
maths (of a member of an ordered set) being preceded, in order, by all other members of the set
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of maximal
Explanation
Maximal means the greatest, best, or largest amount of something. The maximal speed of your friend's junky car might be forty miles per hour. The adjective maximal is the opposite of the more common minimal. Your idea of sleeping in maximal comfort might include a soft comforter and lots of pillows, and you might try, when you're running on a treadmill, to get your heartbeat to its maximal rate for several minutes. Maximal has a Latin root, maximus, or "greatest," which in turn comes from magnus, "great or large."
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 Khalid’s opinion, the Prairieland case represents a progression of the legal precedent set in the Prairieland case, as in both cases the government pursued maximal sentences against Americans alleging some sort of terror connection.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
It’s only a problem if you think the state should orient itself not around encouraging maximal voting but around announcing the count quickly.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026
“So it’s reasonable for the medical personnel to take maximal precautions so that they don’t contract it,” Iovine said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
Upon entering, however, you discover that the house is really a sequence of staged sensations in which detail has been fine-tuned for maximal theatrical effect.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
The problem, you realize, is that while you have been raised to speak quietly and little, the notions of where you come from and who you are need a maximal approach.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
