Which to use
“máfia” and “máxima” are a confusable Portuguese pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #11,687
- “máfia” frequency rank
- #3,092
- “máxima” frequency rank
- 14779
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | máfia | máxima |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | organização criminosa de origem italiana | a expressão de uma verdade ou princípio geral, especialmente uma com tom moral ou aforístico |
Where the eye mixes máfia and máxima
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: máfia vs máxima
A purely visual mix-up. máfia (/ˈma.fjɐ/) and máxima (/ˈma.si.mɐ/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 14779, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
máfia is recorded at frequency rank #11,687, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈma.fjɐ/. máxima is at rank #3,092, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈma.si.mɐ/.
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 14779, this pair ranks #57,218 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of máfia vs máxima
Shared letters: aimá. Private to "máfia": f. Private to "máxima": x.
"máfia" · 5 letters · shape CVCVV · "máxima" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "máfia" and "máxima" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Which is more common, "máfia" or "máxima"?
Useful next steps
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "máfia" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "máxima" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #57,218 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "máfia" and "máxima" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "maa vs máfia". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #57,218 of 75,631 scored Portuguese pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.