premature
Americanadjective
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occurring, coming, or done too soon.
a premature announcement.
-
mature or ripe before the proper time.
noun
adjective
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occurring or existing before the normal or expected time
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impulsive or hasty
a premature judgment
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(of an infant) weighing less than 2500 g (5 1/ 2 lbs) and usually born before the end of the full period of gestation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of premature
From the Latin word praemātūrus, dating back to 1520–30. See pre-, mature
Explanation
Premature means "not yet ready." Something that is premature arrives early, like a premature baby born before her due date, or the soggy cake you took out of the oven prematurely. Premature is a simple word to break down. Pre means "early" or "before," and mature means "done" or "ready." If a decision is criticized as premature, it means that that decision was made too hastily, and probably would have been different if more time had been taken. If someone dies very young, you might say they died prematurely.
Vocabulary lists containing premature
Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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The Catcher in the Rye
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death in people who are already vulnerable.
From Science Daily • May 21, 2026
The first thing he saw online was a 2018 Rice University study that found the Parish plant caused 178 premature deaths a year.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said in an email that the market is premature in pricing in a rate hike by next March, however.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
“She sends her deepest condolences and sorrow over this tragedy. This has been devastating for everyone. It is premature to make any other statement.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
As Royal Brougham had predicted back in June, rumors of his demise had proved premature, much to the relief of Joe and the other boys.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
