premature
Americanadjective
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occurring, coming, or done too soon.
a premature announcement.
-
mature or ripe before the proper time.
noun
adjective
-
occurring or existing before the normal or expected time
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impulsive or hasty
a premature judgment
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(of an infant) weighing less than 2500 g (5 1/ 2 lbs) and usually born before the end of the full period of gestation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of premature
From the Latin word praemātūrus, dating back to 1520–30. See pre-, mature
Explanation
Premature means "not yet ready." Something that is premature arrives early, like a premature baby born before her due date, or the soggy cake you took out of the oven prematurely. Premature is a simple word to break down. Pre means "early" or "before," and mature means "done" or "ready." If a decision is criticized as premature, it means that that decision was made too hastily, and probably would have been different if more time had been taken. If someone dies very young, you might say they died prematurely.
Vocabulary lists containing premature
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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The Catcher in the Rye
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bliss, a charity that supports premature babies and their families, is also in favour of the reorganisation.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
Increased pollution from coal and gas plants will cause hundreds of billions of dollars in negative health impacts from asthma, heart and lung disease and premature deaths, among other outcomes, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
They seek to shield them from fear, from emotional burden, from a premature loss of innocence.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026
“Investigation into the fire’s cause, origin and reasons for its spread remains ongoing, and it is premature for anyone to draw conclusions,” the spokesperson said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
“They’re headed to the ninth grade. They’re my pride and joy, and they’re also giving me my premature gray hairs.”
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
