Maverick
A person who refuses to follow the crowd; a nonconformist; someone who acts independently and resists conventional norms. The term can also describe such independent behavior when used as an adjective (e.g., a maverick thinker).
nounMaverick
A person who refuses to follow the crowd; a nonconformist; someone who acts independently and resists conventional norms. The term can also describe such independent behavior when used as an adjective (e.g., a maverick thinker).
nounImagine This
Picture a rancher named Maverick who refuses to brand his cattle. While others brand their stock and follow the herd, his unmarked cattle wander freely, and he charts his own path, trusting his own judgment rather than the crowd.
Sounds Like
MAV-Ι-rik
Looks Like
An unbranded cow roaming away from a herd, symbolizing independence.
Remember This
The word comes from Samuel Maverick, a Texas cattleman who refused to brand his cattle; the term broadened to describe independent-minded people.
Other Forms
Connect With
nonconformist, rebel, iconoclast, free thinker, independent, dissenter
Note
Typically neutral to positive when describing innovative or independent thinking; context mattersβcalling someone a 'maverick' can imply boldness or recklessness depending on tone.