Origin: 1400–50;late Middle Englishmaxime ≪ Medieval Latinmaxima (orig. in phrase maxima prōpositiō axiom, literally, greatest proposition), noun use of feminine of Latinmaximus, superlative of magnus great; see much
"precept, principle," 1426, from M.Fr. maxime, from L.L. maxima, usually in maxima propositio "axiom," lit. "greatest premise," fem. of maximus "greatest" (see maximum).
Maxim
single-barreled, water-cooled machine gun, 1885, named for inventor, U.S.-born British engineer Sir Hiram S. Maxim (1840-1916).