precocious

American  

[pri-koh-shuhs] / prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs /

adjective

1. unusually advanced or mature in development, especially mental development.

   a precocious child.

2. prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.

3. of or relating to premature development.

4. Botany.

   1. flowering, fruiting, or ripening early, as plants or fruit.

   2. bearing blossoms before leaves, as plants.

   3. appearing before leaves, as flowers.

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precocious British  

/ prɪˈkɒsɪtɪ, prɪˈkəʊʃəs /

adjective

1. ahead in development, such as the mental development of a child

2. botany (of plants, fruit, etc) flowering or ripening early

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precocious Scientific  

/ prĭ-kō′shəs /

1. Relating to or having flowers that blossom before the leaves emerge. Some species of magnolias are precocious.

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Other Word Forms

• precociously adverb
• precociousness noun
• unprecocious adjective
• unprecociously adverb
• unprecociousness noun

Etymology

Origin of precocious

1640–50; Latin praecoci-, stem of praecox ( see precocity) + -ous

Explanation

That high school hoops phenom who plays like an NBA pro? The sixth grader who's already asking questions about organic chemistry? They're both precocious — meaning they're way beyond their years in skill or knowledge. When you look at the Latin roots of precocious, it all makes sense. When pre (meaning "before") joins coquere (meaning "to ripen"), you have something that is ripening prematurely. And in the case of precocious, you are usually describing young people who have some adult-like quality about them. Maybe it's their vast vocabulary, maybe it's their ease with calculus, or maybe it's just applying lipstick.

Example Sentences

Few have been better judges of a player's potential than Wenger and Ferguson, who both knew this precocious playmaker was heading for the top.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

A precocious talent who burst on the scene in 2006, Kim was the spark-plug of the 2008 US Ryder Cup team that beat Europe at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

No one finished out 2025 talking about Disney bastardizing everyone’s favorite precocious blue alien, but “Materialists” was still driving conversations and reactions well through the end of the year.

From Salon • Jan. 6, 2026

Douglas Century’s “Crash of the Heavens” brings to life the headstrong, charismatic heroine who was both a fearless warrior and a precocious writer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

When adults tell a child or a teenager that they’re precocious, what they’re really saying is, “Please don’t say that aloud.”

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• bright
• cocky
• intelligent
• mature