maturity

American  

[muh-choor-i-tee, -toor-, -tyoor-, -chur-] / məˈtʃʊər ɪ ti, -ˈtʊər-, -ˈtjʊər-, -ˈtʃɜr- /

noun

• maturities
  plural

1. the state of being mature; ripeness.

   The fruit will reach maturity in a few days.

2. full development; perfected condition.

   maturity of judgment; to bring a plan to maturity.

3. Finance.

   1. 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.

   2. maturity date.

      The loan has reached its maturity and must be paid back in full.

   3. 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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maturity British  

/ məˈtjʊərɪtɪ, -ˈtʃʊə- /

noun

1. the state or quality of being mature; full development

2. finance

   1. the date upon which a bill of exchange, bond, note, etc, becomes due for repayment

   2. 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

• nonmaturity
  noun
• overmaturity
  noun
• semimaturity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• maturities
  plural

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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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

maturity maturities

Albania's Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu has called for "calmness, self-restraint and maturity" and said "Albania does not need to burn to change".

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

"Depending on where that player is in their career, what areas of their game we're looking to help develop, or as just part of their maturity and experience."

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

This is testament to the maturity and mainstreaming of bitcoin into portfolios, and we’re seeing the same opportunities and choices coming to the crypto market that came to other markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

You can also mitigate duration risk by using a ladder strategy, buying bonds with staggered maturity dates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Now it seemed that what she had thought was maturity, serenity and compassion was only the tranquillity that follows a joyful stimulation.

From "Sula" by Toni Morrison

Since late February, yields have increased by an average of around 110 basis points, especially on longer maturities, Dabla-Norris told AFP on the sidelines of the IMF's Annual Meetings in Bangkok.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Investment pros say investors shouldn’t abandon bonds, but instead focus on those with shorter maturities.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Jefferson observed how yields on Treasury securities across maturities have risen further since the Fed’s September meeting, a sign investors are reassessing the economic outlook.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

After steadily rising over the past five years from their pandemic-era lows, Treasurys with maturities of five years and longer have passed 5% in the past few weeks.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

But as an autobiography of the beginnings and earlier maturities of life it's indeed finer and jollier than anything there is.

From The Letters of Henry James, Vol. II by Henry James

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Related Words

• ability
• capability
• experience
• manhood
• maturation
• sophistication
• wisdom
• womanhood

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