Etymograph

English

maximum

Maximum comes, via French maximum, from Latin maximum, neuter of maximus ‘greatest’, from Proto-Italic *magisVmos.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*méǵh₂s‘great’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*magisVmosreconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmaximus‘greatest’
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentmaximum
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1806same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*méǵh₂s‘great’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*magisVmosreconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmaximus‘greatest’
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentmaximum
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1806same form

Earliest quotation: 1806, P. Colquhoun: “This is the fundamental principle of good legislation. It…”

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s

Today it means

noun The highest limit.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s / maximum

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