puberty

pu·ber·ty

noun \ˈpyü-bər-tē\

Definition of PUBERTY

1

: the condition of being or the period of becoming first capable of reproducing sexually marked by maturing of the genital organs, development of secondary sex characteristics, and in the human and in higher primates by the first occurrence of menstruation in the female

2

: the age at which puberty occurs often construed legally as 14 in boys and 12 in girls

Examples of PUBERTY

1. He reached puberty later than most of his classmates.

Origin of PUBERTY

Middle English puberte, from Latin pubertas, from puber pubescent

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Physiology Terms

eructation, flux, gustatory, menarche, myopia, senescence, torpor