premature

adjective

pre·​ma·​ture ˌprē-mə-ˈchu̇r How to pronounce premature (audio)
-ˈchər,
 also  -ˈtu̇r,
-ˈtyu̇r How to pronounce premature (audio)
 also  ˌpre-
: happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time
especially : born after a gestation period of less than 37 weeks
premature babies
premature noun
prematurely adverb
prematureness noun
prematurity noun

Examples of premature in a Sentence

Her premature death at age 30 stunned her family and friends. Too much exposure to the sun can cause the premature aging of skin.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These aren't abstract policy concerns—they are grounded in fear of lost coverage, increased hardship and in some cases, premature death. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025 Sure, plenty of people have critiques of the Vision Pro, which in my opinion tend to be slightly premature. Anshel Sag, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 In addition, Saddleback Medical Center has an on-site level III NICU equipped to support premature and fragile infants with a team of neonatologists, specialized NICU nurses, and respiratory therapists available 24/7. Advertorial, Oc Register, 7 July 2025 The infection, which is invasive and can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract, can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery and life-threatening infection of pregnant women's newborns, the FSIS said. Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for premature

Word History

Etymology

Latin praematurus too early, from prae- + maturus ripe, mature

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of premature was circa 1529

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Premature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premature. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

premature

adjective
: happening, coming, existing, or done before the proper or usual time
especially : born after a period of pregnancy of less than 37 weeks
premature babies
prematurely adverb

Medical Definition

premature

1 of 2 adjective
pre·​ma·​ture
-mə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r, -ˈchu̇(ə)r, chiefly British ˌprem-ə-
: happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time
premature puberty
premature aging
especially : born after a gestation period of less than 37 weeks
premature babies
prematurely adverb

premature

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on premature

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