precocious

[pri-koh-shuh s] /prɪˈkoʊ ʃəs/

adjective

unusually advanced or mature in development, especially mental development:

a precocious child.

prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.

of or pertaining to premature development.

Botany.

flowering, fruiting, or ripening early, as plants or fruit.
bearing blossoms before leaves, as plants.
appearing before leaves, as flowers.

Origin

1640-50; Latin praecoci-, stem of praecox (see precocity) + -ous

Related forms

precociously, adverb

precociousness, noun

unprecocious, adjective

unprecociously, adverb

unprecociousness, noun

Examples from the web for precocious

However much fun they are having, the kids are affected by this precocious professionalism of theirs.
As a precocious and retiring 4-year-old, the author tells us, she began reading anything she could lay her hands on.
It sounds to me that the whale was pushed out of the pod for being precocious.
Ralph was docile, and had a precocious sagacity for keeping out of trouble.
Maybe they'll be precocious know-it-alls.
Yet her mocking manner and precocious beauty made her a natural for it.
The result is a fast-moving, escapist tale that pinches the dirty cheek of the precocious fifth grader in all of us.
The daughter is precocious and loud with no boundaries.
When young researchers are afraid to challenge their professors, precocious insights are sometimes lost.
precocious youngsters with a taste for laboratory notebooks spend years building experiments to compete for college scholarships.

British Dictionary definitions for precocious

precocious

/prɪˈkəʊʃəs/

adjective

ahead in development, such as the mental development of a child

(botany) (of plants, fruit, etc) flowering or ripening early

Derived Forms

precociously, adverb
precociousness, precocity (prɪˈkɒsɪtɪ) noun

Word Origin

C17: from Latin praecox early maturing, from prae early + coquere to ripen

Contemporary definitions for precocious

adjective

pertaining to uncharacteristically early development, esp. in maturity

Word Origin

Latin prae- + coquere 'to cook'

adjective

appearing early, as flowers; early in development

Word Origin

Latin prae- + coquere 'to cook'

Word Origin and History for precocious

adj.

1640s, "developed before the usual time" (of plants), with -ous + Latin praecox (genitive praecocis) "maturing early," from prae "before" (see pre-) + coquere "to ripen," literally "to cook" (see cook (n.)). Originally of flowers or fruits. Figurative use, of persons, dates from 1670s. Related: Precociously; precociousness.

precocious in Medicine

precocious pre·co·cious (prĭ-kō'shəs)
adj.
Showing unusually early development or maturity.

pre·coc'ity (-kŏs'ĭ-tē) or pre·co'cious·ness n.

precocious in Science

precocious

(prĭ-kō'shəs)
Relating to or having flowers that blossom before the leaves emerge. Some species of magnolias are precocious.