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maxime

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word maxime

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 250–184 BC, Plautus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*meǵ-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin maximus
Latin maxime

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈmak.sɪ.meː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈmak.si.me][1]

Forms

maximē (also maxumē; superlative adverb of magis)[2] Inscriptions have the spelling maxsume.[2]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin maximus + -ē, the adverb of the superlative “greatest”, and serves as the superlative of magis “more”.[2][1] De Vaan derives maximus from ⟨*magisVmo-⟩, built on the comparative stem of magnus “great”, from Proto-Indo-European *mǵ-no- (“great”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus on:[4] illud … mīror maximē, “that is what I wonder at most”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Maximē means “most, to the greatest extent”, and with adjectives it forms superlatives (maximē pius “most pious”).[2] It singles out a point, “especially, in particular, chiefly”.[2][1]

Several phrases use it: ut cum maximē “as much as ever”;[2][5] cum maximē “just when, at the very moment”;[2][5] nunc maximē “at this very moment” and tum maximē “just then”;[2][5] quam maximē “as much as possible”.[2][5] In conversation maximē is a reply, “by all means, certainly”.[2][1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – First found in Plautus, also as a reply: iace, pater, tālōs … — maximē “throw the dice, father … — by all means”.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it to form a superlative: maximē … pius quaestus.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero: haec cum maximē loquerētur, “just as he was saying this”.[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. most, to the greatest extent, very much.[2][6]
  2. (with adjectives and adverbs) Most (forming the superlative).[2]
  3. Most of all, especially, chiefly.[2][1][5]
  4. ut cum maximē, as much as ever.[2]
  5. cum maximē, just when;[2] nunc maximē, at this very moment.[2]
  6. quam maximē, as much as possible.[5]
  7. (as a reply) By all means, certainly.[2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Maxime.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/maxime. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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