immature

American  

[im-uh-choor, -toor, -tyoor, -chur] / ˈɪm əˈtʃʊər, -ˈtʊər, -ˈtyʊər, -ˈtʃɜr /

adjective

1. not mature, ripe, developed, perfected, etc.

2. emotionally undeveloped; juvenile; childish.

   Synonyms:

   babyish , puerile , callow

3. Physical Geography.  youthful.

4. Archaic.  premature.

---

immature British  

/ -ˈtʃʊə, ˌɪməˈtjʊə /

adjective

1. not fully grown or developed

2. deficient in maturity; lacking wisdom, insight, emotional stability, etc

3. geography a less common term for youthful

---

Other Word Forms

• immaturely adverb
• immatureness noun
• immaturity noun

Etymology

Origin of immature

First recorded in 1540–50, immature is from the Latin word immātūrus unripe, hence, untimely. See im- ², mature

Example Sentences

"We don't know all the threats of these immature methods yet, but it's a bit hard to just take them off the table because they're uncomfortable to think about," she said.

From Science Daily

It feels immature on the part of the directors—or the creators of the series, brothers Harry and Jack Williams.

From The Wall Street Journal

Overall survival data were immature but showed a positive trend, with no unexpected safety findings observed, Roche said.

From The Wall Street Journal

So, having briefly lived some version of the 1950s teen dream—drive-in movies, car hops—I reverted to being an immature 14-year-old in the brain class.

From The Wall Street Journal

Here, they exist as immature melanoblasts, ensuring that hair and skin maintain their color through repeated cycles of regeneration.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• childish
• premature