"maverick"

mav·er·ick /ˈmævərɪk, ˈmævrɪk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[mav-er-ik, mav-rik]

–noun

1.	Southwestern U.S. an unbranded calf, cow, or steer, esp. an unbranded calf that is separated from its mother.

2.	a lone dissenter, as an intellectual, an artist, or a politician, who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates.

3.	(initial capital letter) an electro-optically guided U.S. air-to-ground tactical missile for destroying tanks and other hardened targets at ranges up to 15 mi. (24 km).

---

[Origin: 1865–70, Americanism; after Samuel A. Maverick (1803–70), Texas pioneer who left his calves unbranded]

—Synonyms 2. nonconformist, independent, loner.




1867, "calf or yearling found without an owner's brand," in
allusion to Samuel A. Maverick

(1803-70), Texas cattle owner who was negligent in branding his calves. Sense of

"individualist, unconventional person" is first recorded

1886, via notion of "masterless."

enough said