English inventor (born in the United States) who invented the Maxim gun that was used in World War I (1840-1916)
"The museum displayed a rare photograph of Hiram Stevens Maxim, the American inventor behind the devastating machine gun."
A self-evident axiom or premise; a pithy expression of a general principle or rule.
"The soldiers held their ground despite the relentless fire from the Maxim gun."
The Maxim gun, a British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War I.
In plain English: A maxim is a short, well-known saying that expresses a general truth or rule for living correctly.
"Her grandfather often shared his life maxim about hard work leading to success."
Usage: Use maxim to describe short, memorable sayings that express a universal truth or piece of advice, such as an old proverb. Do not confuse it with max out, which means to reach the highest possible limit.
The word "maxim" entered English via Anglo-Norman and Middle French, deriving from the Late Latin maxima, which originally meant "axiom." It was formed by using the feminine singular form of maximus ("greatest") within a phrase meaning "greatest premise."