maturity
Americannoun
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maturities
plural
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the state of being mature; ripeness.
The fruit will reach maturity in a few days.
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full development; perfected condition.
maturity of judgment; to bring a plan to maturity.
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Finance.
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the state of being due.
There is always the danger that if you have to sell your home before maturity of your mortgage, you won't net enough cash from the sale to repay the loan in full.
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The loan has reached its maturity and must be paid back in full.
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Usually maturities bonds and other investments having a fixed term.
Some investors prefer short-term maturities to avoid tying up their money for a long period.
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noun
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the state or quality of being mature; full development
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finance
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the date upon which a bill of exchange, bond, note, etc, becomes due for repayment
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the state of a bill, note, etc, when due
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Usage
What does maturity mean? Maturity is the state of having reached a stage of full or advanced development. Maturity is a noun form of mature, which is commonly used as an adjective generally meaning fully developed (as a verb, mature generally means to fully develop). If a person shows or has maturity, they are mature, meaning they act grown-up. When an animal has reached maturity, it has reached adulthood. When a fruit has reached maturity, it’s ripe. Maturity is also used in the context of finance to refer to the state of something being due for repayment, such as a bond. Example: Some of my students show maturity, but the rest of them act like preschoolers.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of maturity
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English maturite, from Middle French maturite or directly from Latin mātūritāt-, stem of mātūritās “ripeness, full development”; see mature, -ity
Explanation
When something reaches its full level of development, it has achieved maturity. Easy enough when you're a perfectly ripe peach. Maturity in humans is not so easy to accomplish or achieve. Some people might be physically mature, which is to say that they are fully physically grown, but don't yet exhibit signs of emotional maturity — such as a willingness to accept responsibility, or maintain poise in serious situations — for a long time afterward.
Vocabulary lists containing maturity
"High School Football"
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Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 2
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 18
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Now, litigation need not be a solemn slog, but it demands at least a modicum of maturity and restraint.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
"With interest rates much higher in many global regions than they were in 2021, refinancing risk will become more visible as loans originated in 2020-22 approach maturity," it said in its latest Private Credit Quarterly.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
"From when I first met him as an 18-year-old and he just had this real maturity and positive outlook," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
They reach full maturity after 30 years, after which they no longer earn interest.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
The maturity of her judgment ensured peace in the family.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The BOJ will buy government bonds Wednesday, targeting maturities of more than three years and up to 10 years, as well as inflation-indexed securities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Compare operating cash flow with investment spending, then examine debt maturities and commitments.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
Investment pros say investors shouldn’t abandon bonds, but instead focus on those with shorter maturities.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
France’s government bonds have relatively long maturities, with an average life of eight-and-a-half years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Some of these maturities are paid off in cash—more often, refunding bonds are offered in exchange; seldom, indeed, are the maturing investments allowed to remain unreplaced.
From Elements of Foreign Exchange A Foreign Exchange Primer by Franklin Escher
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
