maturity
nounUK /məˈtjʊəɹɪti/ · US /məˈtʊɹəti/
Etymology From Middle English maturitee, maturyte, from Old French maturité, from Latin mātūritātem. By surface analysis, mature + -ity.
1
The state of being mature, ready or ripe; the prime state of productibility and self expression.
- Some foods and drinks, like wine, only reach their full taste at maturity, which literally comes at a price.
- The ability to take responsibility is a sign of maturity.
2
When bodily growth has completed and/or reproduction can begin.
- The entire tank of guppies was in their maturity and ready to mate.
- Some insect species reach sexual maturity well before their own bodily maturity
- Synonyms
- matureness, ripeness, adulthood, due date
- Antonyms
- naïveté, immaturity
- Derived terms
- dysmaturity, hypomaturity, maturity date, nonmaturity, overmaturity, postmaturity, semimaturity, sexual maturity, time to maturity, yield to maturity
- Related terms
- maturation