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   mature

   /məˈtʃʊə/

   adjective

   • 1. fully developed physically; full-grown: "she was now a mature woman" Similar adultgrown-upgrownfully grownfull-grownof agefully developedfully fledgedin one's primein full bloomnubileOpposite immaturegrowingadolescent
   • ▪ (especially of a young person) having reached a stage of mental or emotional development characteristic of an adult: "a young man mature beyond his years" Similar sensibleresponsibleadultlevel-headedreliabledependablediscriminatingshrewdpracticalwisesagaciousexperiencedsophisticatedOpposite immaturechildish
   • ▪ (of thought or planning) careful and thorough: "on mature reflection he decided they should not go" Similar carefulthoroughdeepconsideredmethodicalOpposite impulsiveunthinking
   • ▪ used euphemistically to describe someone middle-aged or old: "Miss Walker was a mature lady when she married"
   • 2. having reached the most advanced stage in a process: "Van Gogh's mature work"
   • ▪ (of certain foods or drinks) ready for consumption: "a rather nice mature Camembert" Similar riperipenedmellowreadyseasonedfull-flavouredOpposite freshunripe
   • ▪ denoting an economy, industry, or market that has developed to a point where substantial expansion and investment no longer takes place: "a mature, sophisticated economy"
   • 3. (of a bill, bond, etc.) due for payment or repayment.

   verb

   • 1. (of a person or thing) become fully grown or developed: "children mature at different ages" Similar be fully grownbe full-grownbe fully developeddevelop fullycome of agebecome adultreach adulthoodreach maturitydevelopgrowevolvebloomblossomflourishthrivecome to fruition
   • ▪ (of a person) reach an advanced stage of mental or emotional development: "he has matured and is ready to take on new responsibilities" Similar become more sensible/responsible/adultgrow upbloomblossom
   • ▪ (with reference to certain foods or drinks) become or cause to become ready for consumption: "leave the cheese to mature" Similar ripengrow ripebecome ripemellowbecome mellowage
   • 2. (of an insurance policy, security, etc.) reach the end of its term and hence become payable: "when the policy matures it pays off the loan"

   Word Origin late Middle English: from Latin maturus ‘timely, ripe’; perhaps related to matins.

   Derivatives

   • 1. maturely adverb

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • M

     3

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   • U

     1

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

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