precocious

American  

[pri-koh-shuhs] / prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs /

adjective

1. unusually advanced or mature in development, especially mental development.

   a precocious child.

2. prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.

3. of or relating to premature development.

4. 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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precocious British  

/ prɪˈkɒsɪtɪ, prɪˈkəʊʃəs /

adjective

1. ahead in development, such as the mental development of a child

2. botany (of plants, fruit, etc) flowering or ripening early

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precocious Scientific  

/ prĭ-kō′shəs /

1. Relating to or having flowers that blossom before the leaves emerge. Some species of magnolias are precocious.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unprecocious
  adjective
• unprecociousness
  noun
• unprecociously
  adverb
• precociousness
  noun
• precociously
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of precocious

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

Explanation

That high school hoops phenom who plays like an NBA pro? The sixth grader who's already asking questions about organic chemistry? They're both precocious — meaning they're way beyond their years in skill or knowledge. When you look at the Latin roots of precocious, it all makes sense. When pre (meaning "before") joins coquere (meaning "to ripen"), you have something that is ripening prematurely. And in the case of precocious, you are usually describing young people who have some adult-like quality about them. Maybe it's their vast vocabulary, maybe it's their ease with calculus, or maybe it's just applying lipstick.

Example Sentences

Precocious as a child and an autodidact, the U.S.-born música Mexicana star taught himself to play guitar at age 8 by watching YouTube tutorials.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2024

Precocious puberty was rising before the pandemic, by about three months per decade since 1977.

From Salon • Aug. 4, 2023

Precocious: Information leads to knowledge, which leads to self-awareness.

From Washington Post • Jun. 13, 2022

Precocious, he started early, playing a small part in a play directed by his father, who taught at a preparatory school in northwest Massachusetts.

From New York Times • Feb. 17, 2022

Precocious Lactation.—Bochut says that he saw a child whose breasts were large and completely developed, offering a striking contrast to the slight development of the thorax.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)

Related Words

• bright
• cocky
• intelligent
• mature