puberty

[pyoo-ber-tee]

noun

1. the period or age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction of offspring: in common law, presumed to be 14 years in the male and 12 years in the female.

puberty

/ ˈpjuːbətɪ /

noun

1. Also called: pubescence. the period at the beginning of adolescence when the sex glands become functional and the secondary sexual characteristics emerge

puberty

1. The stage in the development of humans and other primates marked by the development of secondary sex characteristics, including menarche in females. In humans, puberty occurs at the onset of adolescence, between the ages of about 11 and 14 in girls and 13 and 16 in boys.

Other Word Forms

• pubertal adjective
• postpuberty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of puberty¹

1350–1400; Middle English puberte < Latin pūbertās adulthood, equivalent to pūber- , stem of pūbēs grown-up + -tās -ty ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of puberty¹

C14: from Latin pūbertās maturity, from pūber adult

Example Sentences

As leader of track and field governing body World Athletics, he ushered in rules barring any athlete who had gone through male puberty from female competition categories.

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My voice went through puberty around 14 to 15 — that was the first time I felt the tone that you hear in my voice today.

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Senator Mike Lee of Utah told Fox News that Vought had been "preparing for this moment since puberty".

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"They're being failed due to early years stereotyping, inadequate opportunities and a complete dearth of knowledge about managing female puberty," she added.

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Its introduction comes amid reports, external that between 50 and 60 athletes who went through male puberty have been finalists in the female category at global and continental track and field championships since 2000.

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Related Words

• adolescence