mature

1 of 2

adjective

ma·​ture mə-ˈchu̇r How to pronounce mature (audio)
-ˈchər,
also
-ˈtu̇r How to pronounce mature (audio)
-ˈtyu̇r
maturer; maturest
1
: based on slow careful consideration
a mature judgment
2
a(1)
: having completed natural growth and development : ripe
mature fruit
(2)
: having undergone maturation
b
: having attained a final or desired state
mature wine
c
: having achieved a low but stable growth rate
paper is a mature industry
d
: of, relating to, or being an older adult : elderly
airline discounts for mature travelers
3
a
: of or relating to a condition of full development
a man of mature years
b
: characteristic of or suitable to a mature individual
mature outlook
a show with mature content
4
: due for payment
a mature loan
5
: belonging to the middle portion of a cycle of erosion
a mature stream
maturely adverb

mature

2 of 2

verb

matured; maturing

transitive verb

: to bring to maturity or completion

intransitive verb

1
: to become fully developed or ripe
2
: to become due

Examples of mature in a Sentence

Adjective She's very mature for her age. He has a mature outlook on life. His parents didn't think he was mature enough to live on his own. Their bodies were mature, but they still behaved like children. After mature reflection, he concluded that he had been mistaken. Verb Girls mature earlier than boys both physically and mentally. Her talent is maturing slowly. Wine and cheese mature with age. The bond matures in 10 years.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
But in the world of venture capital, where investors pride themselves on being mature counselors to brilliant-but-impulsive founders, the public dispute that broke out between Andreessen and Khosla over the past few days qualifies as a remarkable rumpus. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Repotting Most young bonsai trees need repotting every two years, while more mature trees can be in the same pot for up to five years. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Developed on the site of an existing golf course dotted with mature oak trees, the picture-postcard-worthy resort offers a welcome center, nine-hole golf course, 65,000-gallon swimming pool; tennis and pickleball courts and clubhouse overlooking a lake. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The sap and mature fruit of the calophyllum inophyllum tree, however, can be poisonous to humans and animals if ingested — it was apparently crushed and used as rat poison at one time. Sophia Panych, Allure, 29 Feb. 2024 Researching the plant’s growth habits will allow its mature size to guide you in choosing the right plant for the perfect spot. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Rather than growing into mature musical expression, Beyoncé latched onto political fashion, a craven move. Armond White, National Review, 28 Feb. 2024 The commingling of the sacred and profane in Byron’s mature verse has no single root cause, but any inquiries should start with May Gray. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 During this time of year, calling still works exceptionally well, and if a fresh blanket of snow hits the ground, tracking and stalking in on a mature bull is possible. Jace Bauserman, Field & Stream, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
After maturing and dying, the remains the succulent plant break off at the root and are blown away by wind. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Young horses growing, maturing, learning — this is the time for their jumps and leaps in development and into the Derby conversation. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Paul, in the Shakespearean manner of fantasy epics, must mature into the leader that fate demands. Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 For private equity, funds typically need six to eight years to mature and settle into their ultimate quartile ranking, while venture usually needs seven to nine years, according to Cambridge Associates research. Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 Heritage Foods, which sells meat and poultry from heritage breeds produced by farmers throughout the country, is now selling chicken parts and whole birds from the Good Shepherd Network that have been allowed to mature for at least a year longer than is typical of the usual broiler. Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 To kick things off, the distillery is introducing the new Calvados Cask expression, a blend of six casks aged for eight years, with two to four of those years spent maturing in Calvados barrels from France. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2024 The plants only grow at certain altitudes and take decades to mature, raising fears that the wildfires could decimate the species that has withstood years of other turmoil in the country. Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2024 Three years later, $10 billion in pension funding bonds sold in 2003 will mature. Shruti Singh, Bloomberg.com, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mature.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English, from Latin maturus ripe; akin to Latin mane in the morning, manus good

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of mature was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mature

Cite this Entry

“Mature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mature. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mature

1 of 2 adjective
ma·​ture mə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r How to pronounce mature (audio)
maturer; maturest
1
: fully thought out
a mature plan
2
a
: fully grown or developed : adult, ripe
mature fruit
b
: having reached a final or desired state
mature wine
3
: of or relating to a condition of full development
a mature outlook
4
: due for payment
the note becomes mature in 90 days
maturely adverb

mature

2 of 2 verb
matured; maturing
1
: to bring to maturity or completion
matured my plans
2
: to become fully developed or ripe

Medical Definition

mature

1 of 2 adjective
ma·​ture
mə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r also -ˈchu̇(ə)r
maturer; maturest
1
: having completed natural growth and development
a mature ovary
2
: having undergone maturation
mature germ cells

mature

2 of 2 verb
matured; maturing

transitive verb

: to bring to maturity or completion

intransitive verb

: to become fully developed or ripe
maturer noun

Legal Definition

mature

verb
ma·​ture
mə-ˈtu̇r, -ˈchu̇r
matured; maturing

transitive verb

: to bring to maturity
a policy matured by the death of the insured

intransitive verb

: to become due, payable, or enforceable
specifically : to entitle one to immediate enjoyment of benefits
her pension right matured upon retirement
compare vest
mature adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on mature

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!