immature

[ im-uh-choor, -toor, -tyoor, -chur ]

adjective

1. not mature, ripe, developed, perfected, etc.
2. emotionally undeveloped; juvenile; childish.

   Synonyms: babyish, puerile, callow

3. Physical Geography. youthful ( def 5 ).
4. Archaic. premature.

immature

/ ˌɪməˈtjʊə; -ˈtʃʊə /

adjective

1. not fully grown or developed
2. deficient in maturity; lacking wisdom, insight, emotional stability, etc
3. See youthful
   geography a less common term for youthful

Derived Forms

• ˌimmaˈturity, noun
• ˌimmaˈturely, adverb

Other Words From

• imma·turely adverb
• imma·tureness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of immature¹

First recorded in 1540–50, immature is from the Latin word immātūrus unripe, hence, untimely. See im- ², mature

Example Sentences

When I was younger, my friends and I used to make short films with camcorders—inappropriate, gross, immature, violent films.

From The Daily Beast

For a time he had a crush on a girl in our class who thought he was an immature goofball.

From The Daily Beast

In ways large and small, devious and immature, ingenious and inspiring, she struggled to escape.

From The Daily Beast

Boland is an immature kid with a lean, unsmiling face, ice-blue eyes, and wavy blond hair.

From The Daily Beast

He claims he was “awkward, shy and emotionally immature” in high school.

From The Daily Beast

The primary quills had not been moulted, and are quite those of the immature bird, with no white tip whatever.

From Project Gutenberg

If, on the contrary, the harvest is not good, the immature leaves are left to grow.

From Project Gutenberg

This is a bad plan, as young and immature mares breed early on the veldt, and throw weedy stock.

From Project Gutenberg

The judgment is often immature and the life principles unsettled.

From Project Gutenberg

The female, also sexually immature, responds coquettishly to these advances of the male.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• childish
• premature