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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Maxim \Max"im\, noun [F. maxime, L. maxima (sc. sententia), the greatest sentence, proposition, or axiom, i. e., of the greatest weight or authority, fem. fr. maximus greatest, superl. of magnus great. See {Magnitude}, and cf. {Maximum}.]
1. An established principle or proposition; a condensed proposition of important practical truth; an axiom of practical wisdom; an adage; a proverb; an aphorism.
'T is their maxim, Love is love's reward. --Dryden.
2. (Mus.) The longest note formerly used, equal to two longs, or four breves; a large.
Syn: Axiom; aphorism; apothegm; adage; proverb; saying. See {Axiom}.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
maxim
noun
1: a saying that widely accepted on its own merits [syn: {axiom}]
2: English inventor (born in the United States) who invented the Maxim gun that was used in World War I (1840-1916) [syn: {Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
68 Moby Thesaurus words for "maxim": Procrustean law, a belief, adage, aphorism, apophthegm, apothegm, article of faith, axiom, brocard, byword, canon, cliche, code, commandment, commonplace, convention, criterion, dictum, doctrine, dogma, epigram, form, formality, formula, formulary, general principle, gnome, golden rule, guideline, guiding principle, imperative, law, law of nature, mitzvah, moral, mot, motto, norm, norma, order of nature, ordinance, platitude, precept, prescribed form, prescript, prescription, principium, principle, proverb, regulation, rubric, rule, rule of thumb, saw, saying, set form, settled principle, slogan, standard, standing order, teaching, tenet, theorem, truism, universal law, witticism, working principle, working rule
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