maturity

noun

ma·​tu·​ri·​ty mə-ˈchu̇r-ə-tē How to pronounce maturity (audio)
-ˈchər-,
also
-ˈtu̇r- How to pronounce maturity (audio)
-ˈtyu̇r-
1
: the quality or state of being mature
especially : full development
the maturity of grain
maturity of judgment
lacks the wisdom and maturity needed to run the company
2
: termination of the period that an obligation (see obligation sense 2c) has to run

Examples of maturity in a Sentence

His behavior shows a lack of maturity. He reached emotional maturity late in his life. the maturity level of a child The bond will reach maturity in 10 years. Maturities on these bonds can be as long as 10 years.
Recent Examples on the Web And the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, which tracks Treasuries with a maturity of over 20 years, has now dropped for a record eight straight days, a sign that investors are pricing in fewer rate cuts—and thus, rising Treasury yields. Will Daniel, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2024 That quote, however, oversells the maturity of the material. Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 People often link adulthood and maturity, adulthood and strength, adulthood and something resembling confidence. Devin Kelly, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2024 Moreover, patients who wait until maturity can sometimes require extensive operations involving both the upper and lower jaws, Johns said. Megan Rose, ProPublica, 6 Mar. 2024 One of the big drivers in the maturity of this tech has been the gaming world. Bobbi Alexandrova, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 That process is in various forms of maturity for different sectors. Garrett M. Graff, WIRED, 21 Feb. 2024 More successful is the idea that Dean, TJ and Wes stunted their own maturity by clinging to this lie for so long (the trio’s performances are revealing variations on the man-child syndrome). Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 Both can develop to maturity if certain choices are made and the relevant biological processes occur without incident. Darryl Wright, Orange County Register, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'maturity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maturity was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near maturity

Cite this Entry

“Maturity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maturity. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

maturity

noun
ma·​tu·​ri·​ty mə-ˈt(y)u̇r-ət-ē How to pronounce maturity (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being mature
especially : full development
2
: the date when a note becomes due

Medical Definition

maturity

noun
ma·​tu·​ri·​ty
mə-ˈt(y)u̇r-ət-ē also -ˈchu̇r-
plural maturities
: the quality or state of being mature
especially : full development

Legal Definition

maturity

noun
ma·​tu·​ri·​ty mə-ˈtu̇r-ə-tē, -ˈchu̇r- How to pronounce maturity (audio)
: termination of the period that a note or other obligation has to run : state or condition of having become due

More from Merriam-Webster on maturity

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