precocious

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Showing skills or maturity at an unusually early age, especially in a child.

   The precocious child began reading the newspaper at age four.

2. 2
   adj

   Developing or appearing earlier than usual, as of plants.

   These precocious flowers bloom before the leaves appear.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Precocious entered English in the mid-17th century. Its root is Latin praecocum, meaning “early-ripening,” which is also the ultimate source of apricot. Precocious was originally applied to flowers or fruit that blossomed or ripened early and is now used of children.

From Latin praecox (“premature, precocious, ripe before time, early ripe”), from praecoquō (“to ripen beforehand, ripen fully, also boil beforehand”), from prae (“before”) + coquō (“to cook, boil, ripen”). Doublet of apricot.

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