maverick
Say it: MAV-uh-rik /ˈmav(ə)rɪk/ · noun
What “maverick” means
Someone who follows their own ideas instead of the crowd.
More precisely: An independent-minded person who refuses to follow the rules or the crowd.
When to use it
Often admiring, for an independent person who breaks with accepted methods or expectations, though others may find them unpredictable.
Similar words
nonconformist, individualist, free spirit
Where it comes from
From Samuel Maverick, a 19th-century Texas rancher who didn't brand his calves.
Quick check
While every designer follows the same fashionable style, one invents an unusual approach and sticks with it. She's…
a contrarian or a maverick?
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a maverick
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