Which to use
“máxima” is a noun and “máximo” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,092
- “máxima” frequency rank
- #1,578
- “máximo” frequency rank
- 4670
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | máxima | máximo |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | a expressão de uma verdade ou princípio geral, especialmente uma com tom moral ou aforístico | o maior de todos |
Where the eye mixes máxima and máximo
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: máxima vs máximo
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: máxima is /ˈma.si.mɐ/ while máximo is /ˈma.si.mu/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - a in “máxima” becomes o in “máximo”, and the parts of speech differ too (noun vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 4670, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
máxima is recorded at frequency rank #3,092, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈma.si.mɐ/. 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 4670, this pair ranks #70,157 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of máxima vs máximo
Shared letters: imxá. Private to "máxima": a. Private to "máximo": o.
"máxima" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "máximo" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "máxima" and "máximo" mean the same thing in a sentence?
In ordinary Portuguese text, does "máxima" or "máximo" show up more?
Useful next steps
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "máxima" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "máximo" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #70,157 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "máxima" and "máximo" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "mamã vs máxima". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #70,157 of 75,631 scored Portuguese pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.