mature

[ muh-toor, -tyoor, -choor, -chur ]

adjective

, ma·tur·er, ma·tur·est.

1. complete in natural growth or development, as plant and animal forms:

   a mature rose bush.

   Synonyms: adult, grown, aged

   Antonyms: young, green, raw, childish

2. ripe, as fruit, or fully aged, as cheese or wine.
3. fully developed in body or mind, as a person:

   She was a mature woman who took her family responsibilities seriously.

   Synonyms: adult, grown, aged

   Antonyms: young, green, raw, childish

4. noting or pertaining to an adult who is middle-aged or older (used euphemistically):

   discrimination against mature applicants.

5. pertaining to or characteristic of full development:

   a mature appearance; fruit with a mature softness.

6. completed, perfected, or elaborated in full by the mind:

   mature plans.

   Synonyms: prepared, ready

7. (of an industry, technology, market, etc.) no longer developing or expanding; having little or no potential for further growth or expansion; exhausted or saturated.
8. intended for or restricted to adults, especially by reason of explicit sexual content or the inclusion of violence or obscene language:

   mature movies.

9. composed of adults, considered as being less susceptible than minors to explicit sexual content, violence, or obscene language, as of a film or stage performance:

   for mature audiences only.

10. Finance. having reached the limit of its time; having become payable or due:

    a mature bond.

11. Medicine/Medical.
    1. having attained definitive form or function, as by maturation of an epithelium from a basal layer.
    2. having attained the end stage of a normal or abnormal biological process:

       a mature boil.

12. Geology. (of a landscape) exhibiting the stage of maximum topographical diversity, as in the cycle of erosion of a land surface.

verb (used with object)

, ma·tured, ma·tur·ing.

1. to make mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.

   Synonyms: develop, age

2. to bring to full development:

   His hard experiences in the city matured him.

3. to complete or perfect:

   We matured our vision for the company.

   She matured her songwriting throughout her career.

verb (used without object)

, ma·tured, ma·tur·ing.

1. to become mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.

   Synonyms: develop, age

2. to come to full development:

   Our plans have not yet matured.

3. Finance. to become due, as a note.

mature

/ məˈtjʊə; -ˈtʃʊə /

adjective

1. relatively advanced physically, mentally, emotionally, etc; grown-up
2. (of plans, theories, etc) fully considered; perfected
3. due or payable

   a mature debenture

4. biology
   1. fully developed or differentiated

      a mature cell

   2. fully grown; adult

      a mature animal

5. (of fruit, wine, cheese, etc) ripe or fully aged
6. (of a river valley or land surface) in the middle stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by meanders, maximum relief, etc See also youthful old

verb

1. to make or become mature
2. intr (of notes, bonds, etc) to become due for payment or repayment

Derived Forms

• maˈturely, adverb
• maˈtureness, noun

Other Words From

• ma·turely adverb
• ma·turement noun
• ma·tureness noun
• ma·turer noun
• half-ma·tured adjective
• nonma·ture adjective
• nonma·turely adverb
• nonma·tureness noun
• over·ma·ture adjective
• over·ma·turely adverb
• over·ma·tureness noun
• self-ma·tured adjective
• semi·ma·ture adjective
• semi·ma·turely adverb
• semi·ma·tureness noun
• unma·ture adjective
• unma·turely adverb
• unma·tured adjective
• unma·turing adjective
• well-ma·tured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mature¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin mātūrus “ripe, timely, early”; akin to manes, matutinal

Word History and Origins

Origin of mature¹

C15: from Latin mātūrus early, developed

Synonym Study

See ripe.

Example Sentences

They filled the hearth with young rockrose leaves, which are stickier and produce more labdanum than mature leaves.

From Science Magazine

The most commercially mature flow batteries are based on vanadium ions, which, like lithium, are expensive and hard to source.

From Science Daily

Being so competitive in six League A games against stellar opposition can only help Scotland mature.

From BBC

These range from "minimal", potentially including occasional mild violence or fear, to "restricted" - potentially containing more mature content such as strong violence, language or lots of realistic blood.

From BBC

The scientists used a unique empirical dataset, taking data from 40 plots of mature European beech forests across the state of Lower Saxony in Germany.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• matured
• sophisticated

More About Mature

What does mature mean?

If a person is mature, they act grown-up. If an animal is mature, it has reached adulthood. If a fruit is mature, it’s ripe. If a game or movie is intended for a mature audience, it means it’s for adults because it’s inappropriate for kids.

Mature has many meanings in addition to the common ones above. It is most commonly used as an adjective, but it can also be a verb meaning to become mature or to make mature.

Example: Some of my students are very mature and responsible, but the rest of them act like preschoolers.

Where does mature come from?

Mature comes from the Latin word mātūrus, meaning “‘ripe,” “timely,” or “early.” The first records of mature in English come from the 1400s.

Mature can mean a lot of different things. As a verb, mature can mean “to ripen,” as in This fruit will become softer as it matures. It is used in a similar way to refer to aging cheese, as in This cheese was matured for at least seven years. When applied to people, mature can mean “to grow and develop physically” or to “become more responsible and grown-up” (ideally both happen at the same time). Mature can also be used to mean “to make mature,” as in I hope college matures him. A child who has matured in such a way can then be called mature in terms of development and behavior.

As an adjective, mature has many more meanings, but most of them describe something that has reached an advanced stage of development or a final limit (as in mature industry and mature bond).

When applied to certain types of media, such as movies and video games, mature means “suitable only for adults.” This means it contains mature content, especially profanity or graphic depictions of sexual activity or violence. It is often used in this way for rating systems (as in This dictionary page is rated M for Mature).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of mature?

• immature (adjective)
• maturity (noun)
• maturely (adverb)
• maturation (noun)
• maturement (noun)
• matureness (noun)
• maturer (noun)

What are some synonyms for mature?

• adult (as an adjective)
• responsible
• seasoned

What are some words that share a root or word element with mature? 

• matutinal

What are some words that often get used in discussing mature?

• responsibility
• adulthood
• growth
• rating
• explicit
• graphic

How is mature used in real life?

Mature can be used in many different ways. Most of them refer in some way to people or things that have reached a certain stage of development.

I’m too mature for my age loool no wonder I struggle to get close to my peers

— حمزة🧩 (@hamza_039) February 25, 2020

My sincere apologies @DwyaneWade I missed congratulating you on your jersey retirement yesterday. I am so very proud of you and your career, it has been my pleasure watching you grow and mature. This is truly a well deserved honor! @NBA @MiamiHEAT #L3GACY pic.twitter.com/fGTBZqYzAZ

— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) February 24, 2020

HBO: The following is intended only for mature audiences, viewer discretion advised.

Me: lol nice 😏

— Beth May (@HeyBethMay) February 17, 2020

 

 

Try using mature!

Which of the following sentences uses mature incorrectly?

A. A mature strawberry should be bright red with green leaves.
B. Your mature behavior in class today was unacceptable—please try to act more grown-up.
C. This cheese is matured in caves to enhance its flavor.
D. The video game is for a mature audience due to its extreme violence.