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precocious

[ pri-koh-shuh s ]
/ prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs /
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SEE MORE 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.

RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. preclude,
  2. preclusion,
  3. preclusive,
  4. preclusively,
  5. precocial,
  6. precocious puberty,
  7. precociously,
  8. precocity,
  9. precognition,
  10. precollagenous fiber

Origin of precocious

1640–50; Latin praecoci-, stem of praecox (see precocity) + -ous
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples 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 Formsprecociously, 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
Word Origin and History for precocious

precocious

adj.

1640s, "developed before the usual time" (of plants), with -ous + Latin praecox (genitive praecocis) "maturing early," from prae "before" (see pre-) + coquere "to ripen," literally "to cook" (see cook (n.)). Originally of flowers or fruits. Figurative use, of persons, dates from 1670s. Related: Precociously; precociousness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for precocious

precocious

[ prĭ-kō′shəs ]

adj.

Showing unusually early development or maturity.
Related formspre•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.
Science 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.