mature

[ muh-toor, -tyoor, -choor, -chur ]

/ məˈtʊər, -ˈtyʊər, -ˈtʃʊər, -ˈtʃɜr /

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See synonyms for: mature / matured / matures / maturing on Thesaurus.com

adjective, ma·tur·er, ma·tur·est.

complete in natural growth or development, as plant and animal forms: a mature rose bush.

ripe, as fruit, or fully aged, as cheese or wine.

fully developed in body or mind, as a person: She was a mature woman who took her family responsibilities seriously.

noting or pertaining to an adult who is middle-aged or older (used euphemistically): discrimination against mature applicants.

pertaining to or characteristic of full development: a mature appearance; fruit with a mature softness.

completed, perfected, or elaborated in full by the mind: mature plans.

(of an industry, technology, market, etc.) no longer developing or expanding; having little or no potential for further growth or expansion; exhausted or saturated.

intended for or restricted to adults, especially by reason of explicit sexual content or the inclusion of violence or obscene language: mature movies.

composed of adults, considered as being less susceptible than minors to explicit sexual content, violence, or obscene language, as of a film or stage performance: for mature audiences only.

Finance. having reached the limit of its time; having become payable or due: a mature bond.

Medicine/Medical.

having attained definitive form or function, as by maturation of an epithelium from a basal layer.
having attained the end stage of a normal or abnormal biological process: a mature boil.

Geology. (of a landscape) exhibiting the stage of maximum topographical diversity, as in the cycle of erosion of a land surface.

verb (used with object), ma·tured, ma·tur·ing.

to make mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.

to bring to full development: His hard experiences in the city matured him.

to complete or perfect: We matured our vision for the company.She matured her songwriting throughout her career.

verb (used without object), ma·tured, ma·tur·ing.

to become mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.

to come to full development: Our plans have not yet matured.

Finance. to become due, as a note.

OTHER WORDS FOR mature

1, 3 aged, grown, adult.

6 ready, prepared.

13, 16 age, develop.

See synonyms for mature on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR mature

1, 3 childish, raw, green, young.

See antonyms for mature on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mature

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin mātūrus “ripe, timely, early”; akin to manes, matutinal

synonym study for mature

2. See ripe.

OTHER WORDS FROM mature

ma·ture·ly, adverbma·ture·ment, nounma·ture·ness, nounma·tur·er, noun

half-ma·tured, adjectivenon·ma·ture, adjectivenon·ma·ture·ly, adverbnon·ma·ture·ness, nouno·ver·ma·ture, adjectiveo·ver·ma·ture·ly, adverbo·ver·ma·ture·ness, nounself-ma·tured, adjectivesem·i·ma·ture, adjectivesem·i·ma·ture·ly, adverbsem·i·ma·ture·ness, nounun·ma·ture, adjectiveun·ma·ture·ly, adverbun·ma·tured, adjectiveun·ma·tur·ing, adjectivewell-ma·tured, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mature in a sentence

The brain region that tells us we shouldn’t eat chips all the time — and helps us resist that urge — is the last to mature.
Warning! Junk foods can harm a teen’s brain|Sharon Oosthoek|November 19, 2020|Science News For Students
Maybe the FAST ecosystem is so new that these platforms have not yet matured to the point of developing the tools to provide that data.
‘We get nothing’: Media companies want more detailed audience, revenue breakdowns from free, ad-supported streaming TV platforms|Tim Peterson|November 18, 2020|Digiday
He said the offense is not yet “mature enough” to slow the tempo late in a game in an effort to run out the clock.
Taulia Tagovailoa responded after a rough opener and now Maryland’s offense is rolling|Emily Giambalvo|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
What’s more, as with all maturing technologies, the cost of RAS will likely come down as new, more efficient designs are developed, bringing it more in line with the typical cost of non-robotic minimally invasive surgery.
Robotic surgery gives doctors new savvy|Jason Sparapani|November 9, 2020|MIT Technology Review

That revolving credit facility matures in May 2021, but Aramco can extend it for another year.
Saudi Aramco is still promising a dividend—even though it hasn’t got the cash|kdunn6|November 3, 2020|Fortune
Edward Forster had maturely weighed the difficulties of the charge imposed upon him, that of educating a female.
Newton Forster|Captain Frederick Marryat
I beg that the President and Secretary will maturely weigh what I say, and leave nothing undone to comply with my request.
Nurse and Spy in the Union Army|S. Emma E. Edmonds
This is an enterprise the difficulties of which have, hitherto, perhaps, been maturely considered by no one.
The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. VII (of X)--Continental Europe I|Various
But do not fancy that in such matters you are wiser than older men, who have maturely considered these things again and again.
Advice to a Young Man upon First Going to Oxford|Edward Berens
They considered maturely; they decided with wisdom: let me add, with firmness.
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. I. (of 12)|Edmund Burke

British Dictionary definitions for mature

mature

/ (məˈtjʊə, -ˈtʃʊə) /

adjective

relatively advanced physically, mentally, emotionally, etc; grown-up

(of plans, theories, etc) fully considered; perfected

due or payablea mature debenture

biology

fully developed or differentiateda mature cell
fully grown; adulta mature animal

(of fruit, wine, cheese, etc) ripe or fully aged

(of a river valley or land surface) in the middle stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by meanders, maximum relief, etcSee also youthful (def. 4), old (def. 18)

verb

to make or become mature

(intr) (of notes, bonds, etc) to become due for payment or repayment

Derived forms of mature

maturely, adverbmatureness, noun

Word Origin for mature

C15: from Latin mātūrus early, developed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mature

OTHER WORDS FOR mature

OPPOSITES FOR mature

Origin of mature

synonym study for mature

OTHER WORDS FROM mature

Words related to mature

How to use mature in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mature

Derived forms of mature

Word Origin for mature