French word

max

Pronunciation

IPA/maks/

Meaning

  • adverbat most

Example

Je peux rester une heure max.

I can stay for an hour at most.

Illustration for max (at most)

More examples

Tu as trois jours max pour répondre.

You have at most three days to respond.

Core concept

A clearly marked meter endpoint showing the highest limit allowed.

Common phrases

  • au max

    at most

  • une heure max

    at most one hour

  • deux heures max

    at most two hours

Similar words

au plus: Indicates that an amount or period will not exceed a stated limit.
au maximum: Indicates the highest possible number or duration.
au grand maximum: Strongly emphasizes that an amount or duration will not exceed the stated limit.

Definition in French

S'emploie pour marquer la limite la plus élevée possible, équivalent familier de « au maximum ».

Word origin

French max is a shortening of maximum, from Latin maximus, the superlative of magnus meaning "great."

Usage tips

  • In French, max usually follows the quantity, as in "une heure max," and belongs mainly to informal usage.

Opposites

  • au moinsat leastadverb

Related words

Word lists with this word