maciçovsmáximoWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“maciço” and “máximo” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#19,489
“maciço” frequency rank
#1,578
“máximo” frequency rank
21067
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature maciço máximo
Definition compacto; sem vazios internos o maior de todos

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set maciço and máximo apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

6 ch
maciço
6 ch
máximo

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

maciço and máximo form a confusable pair in the Portuguese index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 3 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 21067, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

maciço is recorded at frequency rank #19,489, classified as anadj. máximo is at rank #1,578, tagged as anadj, pronounced /ˈma.si.mu/.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 21067, this pair ranks #49,286 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

maciço#19,489
máximo#1,578

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "maciço" and "máximo" be used interchangeably?
No, "maciço" and "máximo" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering maciço vs máximo

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

  • Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
  • See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “maciço” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list