precocious
[ pri-koh-shuhs ]
/ prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs /
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adjective
unusually advanced or mature in development, especially mental development: a precocious child.
prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.
of or relating to premature development.
Botany.
- flowering, fruiting, or ripening early, as plants or fruit.
- bearing blossoms before leaves, as plants.
- appearing before leaves, as flowers.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
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Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
OTHER WORDS FROM precocious
Words nearby precocious
precisive, preclimax, preclinical, preclude, precocial, precocious, precocious puberty, precocity, precognition, precollagenous fiber, precolonial
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for precocious
British Dictionary definitions for precocious
precocious
/ (prɪˈkəʊʃəs) /
adjective
ahead in development, such as the mental development of a child
botany (of plants, fruit, etc) flowering or ripening early
Derived forms of precocious
precociously, adverbprecociousness or precocity (prɪˈkɒsɪtɪ), nounWord Origin for precocious
C17: from Latin praecox early maturing, from prae early + coquere to ripen
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
Medical definitions for precocious
precocious
[ prĭ-kō′shəs ]
adj.
Showing unusually early development or maturity.
Other words from precocious
pre•coc′ity (-kŏs′ĭ-tē) null n.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for precocious
precocious
[ prĭ-kō′shəs ]
Relating to or having flowers that blossom before the leaves emerge. Some species of magnolias are precocious.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.