Meaning of maxim

max•im

1. an expression of a general truth or principle, esp. an aphoristic or sententious one: the maxims of La Rochefoucauld.
2. a principle or rule of conduct.

Max•im

1. 1869–1936, U.S. inventor.
2. his father,1840–1916, English inventor, born in the U.S.: inventor of the Maxim gun.
3. 1853–1927, U.S. inventor and explosives expert (brother of Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim).
4. a male given name, form of