maverick

¹mav·er·ick

noun \ˈmav-rik, ˈma-və-\

Definition of MAVERICK

1

: an unbranded range animal; especially : a motherless calf

2

: an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party

Examples of MAVERICK

1. <there's always one maverick who has to go his own way>
2. Let him refind his inner rebel, the famous irreverent maverick, let the tiger out of the cage. —Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal, 28–29 June 2008
3. In the Senate, however, he had established himself as a bright and prickly maverick, not averse to sharp criticism of his own party, its policies, and its leaders, most especially Bill Clinton. —John Gregory Dunne, New York Review of Books, 13 June 2002
4. This, of course, is dangerous for the rest of us. With one successfully repatriated daughter, Papi might yank us all out of college and send us back. Not to mention that it's out and out creepy that Fifi, the maverick, is so changed. —Julia Alvarez, How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents, 1991

Origin of MAVERICK

Samuel A. Maverick †1870 American pioneer who did not brand his calves

First Known Use: 1867

Related to MAVERICK

Synonyms: bohemian, boho, counterculturist, deviant, enfant terrible, free spirit, heretic, iconoclast, individualist, loner, lone ranger, lone wolf, nonconformist, nonconformer

Antonyms: conformer, conformist

Related Words: freethinker; character, codger, crackbrain, crackpot, crank, eccentric, freak, kook, nut, oddball, screwball, weirdo; eight ball, misfit, outsider; aberrant, anomaly

Near Antonyms: adherent, follower, supporter; sheep

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Other Animal Husbandry Terms

apiary, bantam, calico, girth, hogwash, mast, rut