maturation

American  

[mach-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˌmætʃ əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the process of becoming mature, ripe, fully aged or developed, etc..

   Maturation of the wine takes place in high-quality oak barrels.

   Making and breaking relationships is part of a young person’s normal maturation.

2. Cell Biology.

   1. the end of the process by which cells or tissues change from relatively generalized to highly specialized.

      The maturation of pancreatic beta cells enables them to respond with specialized accuracy to glucose levels.

   2. the transformation of an immature egg or sperm cell into a gamete ready to unite with another to form a new organism, especially the part of the process that occurs after meiosis.

      In some species, if the animal is starving, egg cell maturation is blocked so that reproduction cannot take place.

3. Pathology. the stage at which a wound, boil, etc., produces pus; suppuration.

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maturation British  

/ ˌmætjʊˈreɪʃən, ˌmætʃʊ- /

noun

1. the process of maturing or ripening

2. zoology the development of ova and spermatozoa from precursor cells in the ovary and testis, involving meiosis

3. a less common word for suppuration

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Usage

What does maturation mean? Maturation is the process of reaching a stage of full or advanced development. In other words, maturation is the process of maturating (or maturing) or of reaching maturity. The word is often used to refer to the process of a person developing physically or starting to act more grown-up (more mature). It can also be applied to plants or other living things to refer to their development process, such as the ripening of a fruit. Maturation can also be used in more specific and technical ways, including to refer to the formation of reproductive cells or to the production or discharge of pus, such as from a wound (which is more commonly called suppuration). Example: It’s been a privilege to witness the maturation of these students over the last four years.

Other Word Forms

• maturational
  adjective
• nonmaturation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of maturation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “suppuration,” from Medieval Latin mātūrātiōn-, stem of mātūrātiō; equivalent to maturate + -ion

Explanation

Maturation is the process that a living thing goes through as it ages and becomes ripe or fully developed. Things that go through maturation include soybeans, antelope, bourbon, frogs, magnolia trees, the human sex drive, peaches, and much more. As something becomes mature it goes through maturation. To be mature is to be ripe, ready, and fully grown. Some natural maturation processes are easy to identify, like the duration of a fruit fly’s development from egg to adult, but others are more difficult to pinpoint. For instance, you may know some people who, despite having passed their fortieth birthdays, seem to have missed that bit of maturation that would keep them from calling their friends toilet-themed nicknames.

Example Sentences

Maturation and self-realization like baseball development aren’t linear or on a specific timetable, particularly in the cutthroat world of professional sports.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2023

Maturation in other systems no doubt contributes as well.

From Scientific American • Dec. 13, 2022

Maturation has taught him that working on his shot is as much about mental study as physical reps.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2021

They’re calling this pipeline the “Great Observatories Mission and Technology Maturation Program,” and it would result in multiple spacecraft being built together.

From The Verge • Nov. 4, 2021

Maturation: 39, 41, 43, 44; parallel between egg and sperm-cell, 44, 46.

From Being Well-Born An Introduction to Eugenics by Guyer, Michael F.

Related Words

• accomplishment
• achievement
• advance
• benefit
• boom
• fame
• gain
• happiness
• profit
• progress
• prosperity
• realization
• triumph
• victory
• win