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.

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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