Meaning

noun someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action

noun an unbranded range animal (especially a stray calf); belongs to the first person who puts a brand on it

adjective independent in behavior or thought

originNamed after Texan lawyer and politician Samuel Maverick (1803–1870), who refused to brand his cattle. For probable origin and meaning, see Maverick. The poker noun sense (“a queen and a jack as a starting hand in Texas hold ’em”) may be from the theme song of the US Western television series Maverick (1957–1962), which says of the eponymous protagonist that “[g]amblin’ is his game” and that he is…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0