# maximus
## Latin
### Alternative forms

* maxumus (Republican spelling)

### Etymology

From Proto-Italic *magisVmos, from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“great”).

### Pronunciation

* (Classical Latin) IPA: /ˈmak.si.mus/, [ˈmäks̠ɪmʊs̠]
* (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA: /ˈmak.si.mus/, [ˈmäksimus]
* Note: the only evidence for a long /a/ in this word is the inscriptional MÁX(IMVS) in the acts of the Arval Brethren for 120 CE. If genuine, this would be an example of the much-debated Lachmann's law.

### Adjective

maximus (superlative, feminine maxima, neuter maximum, positive magnus); first/second declension
* Superlative degree of magnus: greatest (in various senses):
** (of size) biggest, largest
    Antonyms: minimus, tenuissimus
** (of number, value, amount) largest
*** (of sound) loudest
*** (law, of property) unencumbered
    uti optimae maximaeque sunt (aedēs) ― the building is free from any encumberance
** (of age) oldest, eldest
    maximus nātū ― the eldest
** (of degree) highest, utmost
    maximō opere ― extremely, vehemently, with the greatest intensity
** (of things) most important, chief, leading, critical
    maximī facere ― to value greatly, make much of
** (of power or reputation) mightiest, most eminent, senior or distinguished
    annālēs maximī ― the annals compiled by the Pontifex Maximus
** (with agent nouns) outstanding (denoting excellence in a special activity)
** (of mind, spirit) most confident, bravest; most generous

#### Declension

First/second-declension adjective, with locative.

#### Derived terms

* Iuppiter Optimus Maximus

#### Descendants

* Gallo-Italic:
** ⇒ Piedmontese: meimament
* Gallo-Romance:
** ⇒ Old Franco-Provençal: *maismament, maymament, maimamen
*** Franco-Provençal: maîmament
** Old French: maisme
* Borrowings:
** → English: maximum
** → French: maximum
** → Italian: massimo (semi-learned)
** → Portuguese: máximo
** → Romanian: maxim
** → Spanish: máximo

### References

* “maximus” on page 1196 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (2nd ed., 2012)
* ↑ “CIL 6.2080.17 – Fragments of the Acta of the Arval Brothers (Arvales fratres)”, in Center for Epigraphical and Palaeographical Studies‎, 2017 February 23
* ↑ Weiss, Michael L. (2009) Outline of the Historical and Comparative Grammar of Latin‎, Ann Arbor: Beech Stave Press, →ISBN, page 175

### Further reading

* “maximus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
* “maximus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
* maximus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
* Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co. it is high time that..: tempus maximum est, ut to be in the enjoyment of a large fortune: fortunis maximis ornatum esse to remunerate (handsomely): praemiis (amplissimis, maximis) aliquem afficere to praise, extol, commend a person: (maximis, summis) laudibus efferre aliquem or aliquid to win golden opinions from every one: maximam ab omnibus laudem adipisci to be overwhelmed by a great affliction: in maximos luctus incidere time assuages the most violent grief: vel maximos luctus vetustate tollit diuturnitas (Fam. 5. 16. 5) to inspire some one with the most brilliant hopes: in maximam spem aliquem adducere (Att. 2. 22. 3) to be reduced to extreme financial embarrassment: in maximas angustias (pecuniae) adduci a numerous army: ingens, maximus exercitus (not numerosus) to procure a very large supply of corn: frumenti vim maximam comparare by the longest possible forced marches: quam maximis itineribus (potest) the main point: id quod maximum, gravissimum est
* “maximus”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers