a maxi

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformal

   A long dress or skirt that reaches the ankles or the floor.

   Grammar: Countable, so it takes a/an and a plural: a maxi, two maxis.

   Patterns

   • wear a maxi
   • a cotton maxi
   • a maxi dress

   She wore a white maxi to the beach party.

   I bought a black maxi for the wedding because it hides my shoes.

   Maxis were everywhere in the shops that summer.

2. 2nouncountableinformal

   A long coat or piece of clothing that hangs down to the ankles.

   Grammar: Used like other clothing nouns: a maxi, the maxi, maxis.

   Patterns

   • a wool maxi
   • a maxi coat

   He put on a heavy maxi and went out into the snow.

   That maxi looks warm, but it's too long for cycling.

3. 3adjectivebefore a nouninformal

   Used before a noun to describe clothing that is long, reaching the ankles.

   Grammar: Comes before the noun and has no comparative form: a maxi skirt, not a more maxi skirt.

   Patterns

   • a maxi dress
   • a maxi skirt
   • a maxi coat

   A maxi skirt is cooler than jeans in hot weather.

   She packed a maxi dress for the evening.

Word forms

Common combinations

a maxi dress

She chose a maxi dress for the summer party.

a maxi skirt

He bought her a flowery maxi skirt.

wear a maxi

I'll wear a maxi to the dinner tonight.

a long maxi

That long maxi suits you.

Synonyms and how they differ

long dress

A plain, neutral way to say the same thing; use it when you don't want an informal word.

gown

Much more formal and often used for evening or ceremonial clothes, not casual wear.

Opposites

Word family

maxi dress noun

A long dress of the same style.

maxi skirt noun

A skirt that reaches the ankles.

Commonly confused: a maxi or maxim? a maxi or mini?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a maxi”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words