maxim gun

proper noun

A British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War I.

Meanings

maxim gun1

nounthe maxim gun (plural maxim guns)

plural maxim guns

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Maxim gun.

Maxim gun2

proper nounthe Maxim gun (plural Maxim guns)

plural Maxim guns · alternative Maxim · alternative maxim · alternative maxim gun

  1. engineeringA British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War I.
  2. engineeringAny machine gun that derives in some way from Hiram Maxim's patented design.
  3. informalobsoleteengineeringA machine gun.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

maxim gun · noun

Named after American and British inventor Hiram Maxim (1840–1916).

Full word history & related roots →

Maxim gun · proper noun

Named after American and British inventor Hiram Maxim (1840–1916).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

maxim gun. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maxim%20gun

MLA

“maxim gun.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maxim%20gun. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “maxim gun,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/maxim%20gun.

Source: maxim gun on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.