maturity

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

noun

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.

maturity

/ -ˈtʃʊə-, məˈtjʊərɪtɪ /

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

Other Word Forms

• nonmaturity noun
• overmaturity noun
• semimaturity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of maturity¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English maturite, from Middle French maturite or directly from Latin mātūritāt-, stem of mātūritās “ripeness, full development”; mature, -ity

Example Sentences

Luke Ward, an investment manager on the private companies team at investor Baillie Gifford, said PsiQuantum’s manufacturing maturity and its ability to lean on an existing supply chain are part of the attraction.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Hofmann said Zillow’s profitability status is a mark of the company’s maturity, natural evolution and strong performance regardless of the housing market.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

"He is not really involved in any scuffles anymore and that is down to maturity."

Read more on BBC

As the years passed, Goodall continued to track Gombe’s chimps, accumulating enough information to draw the arcs of their lives — from birth through sometimes troubled adolescence, maturity, illness and finally death.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But Mitchell has also praised the majority of his players for the maturity they have shown about his calls.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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

When To Use

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.