immature

adjective

im·​ma·​ture ˌi-mə-ˈchu̇r How to pronounce immature (audio) -ˈtu̇r How to pronounce immature (audio)
-ˈtyu̇r
1
a
: exhibiting less than an expected degree of maturity
emotionally immature adults
b
: lacking complete growth, differentiation, or development
immature fruits
a sexually immature bird
c
: having the potential capacity to attain a definitive form or state : crude, unfinished
a vigorous but immature school of art
2
archaic : premature
immature noun
immaturely adverb
immaturity
ˌi-mə-ˈchu̇r-ə-tē How to pronounce immature (audio)
-ˈtu̇r-
-ˈtyu̇r-
noun

Examples of immature in a Sentence

The flock included both adult and immature birds. His teachers have complained about his immature behavior.
Recent Examples on the Web Cheri Hollis, a volunteer with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, discovered Pepper — a 1.5-ounce bird still wearing its immature plumage — on Aug. 31, cavorting on the Florida beach with two other young piping plovers. Sheryl Devore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023 Other avenues include using non-chemical options to kill immature mosquitoes – like bringing in fish to eat the larvae – setting sugar traps and using drones to find stagnant water for removal, Healy said. Ritu Prasad, CNN, 12 Sep. 2023 Encourage immature pumpkins to harden their skins by placing them in a sunny spot to cure for 7 to 10 days. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2023 Lewis photographed 11 wayward flamingos—three adults and eight immature birds—feeding in the shallows of the refuge’s southernmost pond. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2023 Babies are born with an immature immune system, dependent for their first few months on protection from mom. Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2023 Levenson said these aggregations are usually all immature animals and mostly males. Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, 17 Aug. 2023 Lymphocytes are germ fighters that develop from more immature versions of the same cells called lymphoblasts.8 In chronic leukemia, the cells can mature partly (and more are like normal white blood cells). Barbara Brody, Health, 11 Aug. 2023 Being a relatively immature asset, Bitcoin is prone to volatility, erratic price movements, cyber theft, fraudulent exchanges, and an uncertain regulatory landscape. The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'immature.' 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

Latin immaturus, from in- + maturus mature

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of immature was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near immature

Cite this Entry

“Immature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immature. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

immature

adjective
im·​ma·​ture ˌim-ə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r How to pronounce immature (audio)
1
: not mature or fully developed : young, unripe
an immature bird
immature fruit
2
: showing less than an expected degree of maturity
immature behavior
immaturely adverb

Medical Definition

immature

adjective
im·​ma·​ture
ˌim-ə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r also -ˈchu̇(ə)r
: lacking complete growth, differentiation, or development
immature blood cells
emotionally immature
immaturely adverb
immaturity
-ˈt(y)u̇r-ət-ē also -ˈchu̇r-
noun
plural immaturities

More from Merriam-Webster on immature

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