premature
adjective
- early, preceding
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌpɹɛ.məˈtjʊə/ / /ˈpɹɛ.mə.tjə/ / /ˌpɹi.məˈtʊɹ/
adj
Etymology: From Latin praemātūrus, equivalent to pre- + mature. First use appears c. 1440 in a translation of Palladius's De Re Rustica.
- Occurring before a state of readiness or maturity has arrived.
“a premature birth”
“premature reports of the singer's death”
- Taking place earlier than anticipated, prepared for, or desired.
“I was lost in reveries of death, and the idea of premature burial held continual possession of my brain.”
- Suffering from premature ejaculation.
noun
Etymology: From Latin praemātūrus, equivalent to pre- + mature. First use appears c. 1440 in a translation of Palladius's De Re Rustica.
- An infant born prematurely.