precocious

[ pri-koh-shuhs ]
/ prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR precocious ON THESAURUS.COM

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.
  1. flowering, fruiting, or ripening early, as plants or fruit.
  2. bearing blossoms before leaves, as plants.
  3. appearing before leaves, as flowers.

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Origin of precocious

1640–50; Latin praecoci-, stem of praecox (see precocity) + -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM precocious

Words nearby precocious

precisive, preclimax, preclinical, preclude, precocial, precocious, precocious puberty, precocity, precognition, precollagenous fiber, precolonial
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to precocious

intelligent, bright, cocky, mature, advanced, aggressive, ahead of time, beforehand, bold, brassy, cheeky, developed, early, flip, flippant, forward, fresh, nervy, premature, presumptuous

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), noun

Word 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.