‖n.; pl. Maxillae [ L., dim. of mala jaw, jawbone. ] 1. (Anat.) (a) The bone of either the upper or the under jaw. (b) The bone, or principal bone, of the upper jaw, the bone of the lower jaw being the mandible. [ Now commonly used in this restricted sense. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) One of the lower or outer jaws of arthropods. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ There are usually two pairs in Crustacea and one pair in insects. In certain insects they are not used as jaws, but may form suctorial organs. See Illust. under Lepidoptera, and Diptera. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ L. maxillaris, fr. maxilla jawbone, jaw: cf. F. maxillaire. ] 1. (Anat.) Pertaining to either the upper or the lower jaw, but now usually applied to the upper jaw only. -- n. The principal maxillary bone; the maxilla. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to a maxilla. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Maxilla + -form: cf. F. maxilliforme. ] Having the form, or structure, of a maxilla. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Maxilla + L. pes, pedis, foot. ] (Zool.) One of the mouth appendages of Crustacea, situated next behind the maxillae. Crabs have three pairs, but many of the lower Crustacea have but one pair of them. Called also jawfoot, and foot jaw. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Maxilla + mandibular. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to the maxilla and mandible; as, the maxillo-mandibular nerve. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Maxilla + palatine. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to the maxillary and palatine regions of the skull; as, the maxillo-palatine process of the maxilla. Also used as n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Maxilla + turbinal. ] (Anat.) Pertaining to the maxillary and turbinal regions of the skull. -- n. The maxillo-turbinal, or inferior turbinate, bone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. An established principle or proposition; a condensed proposition of important practical truth; an axiom of practical wisdom; an adage; a proverb; an aphorism. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T is their maxim, Love is love's reward. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) The longest note formerly used, equal to two longs, or four breves; a large. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Axiom; aphorism; apothegm; adage; proverb; saying. See Axiom. [ 1913 Webster ]

A kind of machine gun; -- named after its inventor, Hiram S. Maxim. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ From the proper name. ] A gold coin of Bavaria, of the value of about 13s. 6d. sterling, or about three dollars and a quarter. [ 1913 Webster ]