Definition & Meaning of "maxima"

What is a "maxima"?

In music, a maxima is a rare and ancient note value that represents the longest duration used in traditional Western music notation. It is typically equal to 8 whole notes or 16 half notes, depending on the time signature. The maxima is depicted as a hollow circle with a vertical line through it. It is used in some historical music contexts and in modern times mainly for scholarly purposes or specific types of compositions where extremely long note values are needed.