Maverick most commonly means a person who is very independent, does not follow the rules or customs of a group, and often acts in an unconventional way. It can also mean an unbranded calf or range animal in the original ranching sense, especially in the United States.
Main meanings
- As a noun for a person: someone who refuses to go along with the usual rules, expectations, or party line, often seen as a nonconformist or rebel. This sense is common in politics, business, and culture (for example, a “political maverick”).
- As a noun for an animal: an unbranded calf or other range animal that does not bear an ownership mark, originally in the context of Texas cattle ranching.
Word origin
The term comes from Samuel Maverick, a 19th‑century Texas rancher known for not branding his cattle, so unbranded cattle came to be called “mavericks,” and the word later took on the figurative meaning of an independent-minded person.
