precocious

[ pri-koh-shuh s ]

/ prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs /

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.

Nearby words

preclude, preclusion, preclusive, preclusively, precocial, precocious, precocious puberty, precociously, precocity, precognition, precollagenous fiber

Origin of precocious

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

Related forms

pre·co·cious·ly, adverbpre·co·cious·ness, nounun·pre·co·cious, adjectiveun·pre·co·cious·ly, adverb

un·pre·co·cious·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for precociousness

He neighboured sagacity when he pointed that interrogation relating to Nesta's precociousness of the intelligence.
One of Our Conquerors, Complete|George Meredith
Poverty and necessity force this precociousness on the poor little brat.
The Newcomes|William Makepeace Thackeray
He recalled an incident which happened when he was about eight years of age which led him to conceal his precociousness.
Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States|Work Projects Administration
There had been a sort of precociousness about the sweat-shop girl he remembered.
Comrade Yetta|Albert Edwards

That it should be practicable thus to entrust one infant to another proves the precociousness of children.
The Soul of the Far East|Percival Lowell

British Dictionary definitions for precociousness

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 precociousness

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.

Medicine definitions for precociousness

precocious

[ prĭ-kō′shəs ]

adj.

Showing unusually early development or maturity.

Related formspre•coc′ity (-kŏs′ĭ-tē) null n.

Science definitions for precociousness

precocious

[ prĭ-kō′shəs ]

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