maximale

Maximale is the inflected form of the German adjective maximal, meaning greatest, highest, or uppermost. It is used to describe a noun and signals the upper bound or limit of quantity, degree, or size. The form maximale appears in singular before a definite article or determiner, as in die maximale Geschwindigkeit, das maximale Gewicht, or der maximale Wert; in plural it becomes die maximalen Werte. When the adjective is nominalized, the noun form Das Maximale can occur, referring to the concept or value of the maximum.

Etymology and scope: The word maximal comes from Latin maximus (greatest) and entered German through historical language contact and technical usage. In everyday German, maximale is common in measurements, constraints, and comparisons, while maximal can also function as a fixed predicate meaning “most extreme” in certain contexts. The terms maximum and Maximale are often used in mathematics, science, engineering, and statistics to denote the upper limit or peak value.

Usage in mathematics and science: In optimization and analysis, das Maximale denotes the global maximum of a function, while ein lokales Maximum refers to a local maximum. Phrases such as maximale Ausdehnung, maximale Kapazität, and maximale Belastung describe the upper limits in physical systems or models. In non-technical language, maximale can describe the utmost degree of a trait or condition, for example die maximale Geschwindigkeit of a vehicle.

Related terms: maximal (base adjective), Maximum (noun or adjective in some contexts), das Maximale (nominalized form). The word is widely used across German-speaking contexts to convey upper limits and extreme values.