premature

premature
[[t]pre̱mətʃʊ͟ə(r), AM pri͟ː-[/t]]
1) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n Something that is premature happens earlier than usual or earlier than people expect.

Accidents are still the number one cause of premature death for Americans...

His career was brought to a premature end by a succession of knee injuries.

...a twenty-four-year-old man who suffered from premature baldness.

Derived words:
prematurely ADV-GRADED ADV with v, ADV adj

The war and the years in the harsh mountains had prematurely aged him...

The heavy rain driving against the windows made the room prematurely dark.

2) ADJ-GRADED: usu v-link ADJ, oft it v-link ADJ to-inf You can say that something is premature when it happens too early and is therefore inappropriate.

It now seems their optimism was premature...

I think it's premature for restaurants to come out with that advice.

Derived words:
prematurely ADV-GRADED usu ADV with v, also ADV adj

Holmgren is careful not to celebrate prematurely.

3) ADJ-GRADED A premature baby is one that was born before the date when it was expected to be born.

Even very young premature babies respond to their mother's presence...

When my daughter Emma was born she was two and a half months premature.

Derived words:
prematurely ADV-GRADED ADV after v

Danny was born prematurely, weighing only 3lb 3oz.


English dictionary. 2008.

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  • prématuré — prématuré, ée [ prematyre ] adj. • 1632; lat. præmaturus « mûr avant » 1 ♦ Qu il n est pas encore temps d entreprendre. Je crains que ce ne soit une démarche prématurée. Il est prématuré de... (cf. Il est trop tôt pour). Il serait prématuré d en… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • premature — premature, untimely, forward, advanced, precocious are comparable though rarely interchangeable when they mean unduly early in coming, happening, or developing. Premature applies usually to something which takes place before its due or proper… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Premature — Pre ma*ture , a. [L. praematurus; prae before + maturus ripe. See {Mature}.] 1. Mature or ripe before the proper time; as, the premature fruits of a hotbed. [1913 Webster] 2. Happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper or usual… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • prématuré — prématuré, ée (pré ma tu ré, rée) adj. 1°   Qui mûrit avant le temps. Fruit prématuré. 2°   Fig. En général, qui vient avant le temps. •   Les choses prématurées perdent leur force et donnent du dégoût, SÉV. 416. •   Ces éducations prématurées… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • premature — I adjective ahead of time, anticipatory, before time, embryonic, green, hasty, ill considered, ill timed, immaturus, inchoate, inopportune, mistimed, overhasty, praematurus, precipitate, rash, raw, sooner than due, sooner than intended, too early …   Law dictionary

  • premature — (adj.) 1520s, from L. praematurus early ripe (as fruit), too early, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + maturus ripe, timely (see MATURE (Cf. mature) (v.)). Premature ejaculation is 1910, previously referred to in Latin as ejaculatio praecox …   Etymology dictionary

  • premature — [adj1] earlier in occurrence than anticipated a bit previous, abortive, early on, embryonic, forward, green*, immature, incomplete, inopportune, overearly, oversoon, precipitate, predeveloped, previous, raw*, soon, unanticipated, undeveloped,… …   New thesaurus

  • prematuré — Prematuré, [prematur]ée. adj. Il se dit proprement des fruits qui meurissent avant le temps ordinaire. Ces fruits sont prématurez. On dit fig. Un esprit prématuré, une sagesse prématurée, pour dire, Un esprit plus formé qu il ne sembleroit devoir …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • premature — In BrE this is pronounced prem ǝ tyuh ǝ or prem ǝ tyuh ǝ. In AmE the first syllable is often pronounced pree …   Modern English usage

  • premature — ► ADJECTIVE 1) occurring or done before the proper time. 2) (of a baby) born before the end of the full term of gestation. DERIVATIVES prematurely adverb prematurity noun. ORIGIN Latin praematurus very early …   English terms dictionary

  • premature — [prē΄mə toor′, prē΄məchoor΄, prē΄mətyoor′; ] Brit [ prem΄ətoor′, prem΄ə tyoor′] adj. [L praematurus: see PRE & MATURE] happening, done, arriving, or existing before the proper or usual time; too early; specif., born before the full term of… …   English World dictionary

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