mature

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

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mature 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.

Origin of mature

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin mātūrus ripe, timely, early; akin to manes, matutinal

Related formsma·ture·ly, adverbma·ture·ment, nounma·ture·ness, nounma·tur·er, nounhalf-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

Synonyms for mature

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mature ON THESAURUS.COM

1, 3. aged, grown, adult. 2. See ripe. 6. ready, prepared. 13, 16. age, develop.

Antonyms for mature

1, 3. childish, raw, green, young.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for matures

evolve, develop, mushroom, blossom, ripen, mellow, bloom, grow, perfect, advance, flower, season, age, culminate, prime, maturate, progress, arrive, round

Examples from the Web for matures

Contemporary Examples of matures

You will find a site that matures close to 200,000 casks of whisky.
Ester Elchies, The Estate Built By Whiskey
December 10, 2014
His family had to flee, and he goes on a geographic as well as an inward journey as the young Qais matures fast.
A Carpet Weaver’s Essential Afghan Memoir: Qais Akbar Omar’s ‘A Fort of Nine Towers’
John Kael Weston
June 6, 2013
By May, its bulb can grow as big as two centimeters, and turns pink and then a deep red as it matures.
The Wonderful World of Ramps
Jeff Gimmel
April 26, 2011
I don't know what that's going to turn into when he matures.
Harold Ramis Gets Down to Funny Business
Kim Masters
June 18, 2009

Historical Examples of matures

It is certain that no eel ever matures or spawns in fresh water.
The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4)
J. Arthur Thomson
It is rather that as he matures, he sees new relationships in the old.
Here and Now Story Book
Lucy Sprague Mitchell
But McClellan, as his supporters say, matures his strategical plans.
Diary from March 4, 1861, to November 12, 1862
Adam Gurowski
In New England it matures in July and is found on bushes all summer.
The Common Spiders of the United States
James Henry Emerton
In Massachusetts and Connecticut it matures about the first of September.
The Common Spiders of the United States
James Henry Emerton

British Dictionary definitions for matures

mature

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 Formsmaturely, 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

Word Origin and History for matures

mature

adj.

mid-15c., "ripe," also "careful, well-considered," from Latin maturus "ripe, timely, early" (see mature (v.)).

mature

late 14c., "encourage suppuration;" mid-15c. "bring to maturity," from Latin maturare "to ripen, bring to maturity," from maturus "ripe, timely, early," related to manus "good" and mane "early, of the morning," from PIE root *ma- "good," with derivatives meaning "occurring at a good moment, timely, seasonable, early." Meaning "come or bring to maturity" is from 1620s. The financial sense of "reach the time for payment" is from 1861. Related: Matured; maturing.

matures in Medicine

mature

[mə-chur′, -tur′]

adj.

Having reached full natural growth or development.

Of, relating to, or characteristic of full mental or physical development.

v.

To evolve toward or reach full development.