Adjacent Words

Precocious definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PRECO'CIOUS, a. [L. proecox; proe, before, and coquo, to cook or prepare.]
1. Ripe before the proper or natural time; as precocious trees.
2. Premature.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude); "a precocious child"; "a precocious achievement" [ant: retarded]
2: appearing or developing early; "precocious flowers appear before the leaves as in some species of magnolias"

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Latin praecoc-, praecox early ripening, precocious, from prae- + coquere to cook — more at cook Date: 1650 1. exceptionally early in development or occurrence <precocious puberty> 2. exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually early age <a precocious child> • precociously adverb • precociousness noun • precocity noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 often derog. (of a person, esp. a child) prematurely developed in some faculty or characteristic. 2 (of an action etc.) indicating such development. 3 (of a plant) flowering or fruiting early. Derivatives: precociously adv. precociousness n. precocity n. Etymology: L praecox -cocis f. praecoquere ripen fully (as PRAE-, coquere cook)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Precocious Pre*co"cious, a. [L. praecox, -ocis, and praecoquus, fr. praecoquere to cook or ripen beforehand; prae before + coquere to cook. See 3d Cook, and cf. Apricot.] 1. Ripe or mature before the proper or natural time; early or prematurely ripe or developed; as, precocious trees. [R.] --Sir T. Browne. 2. Developed more than is natural or usual at a given age; exceeding what is to be expected of one's years; too forward; -- used especially of mental forwardness; as, a precocious child; precocious talents.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

A precocious child is very clever, mature, or good at something, often in a way that you usually only expect to find in an adult. Margaret was always a precocious child... ADJ: usu ADJ n • precociously He was a precociously bright school boy. ADV: usu ADV adj, also ADV with v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Premature (especially in mental development), too forward, over-forward.

Moby Thesaurus

a bit previous, advanced, ahead, bright, developed, early, far ahead, forward, gifted, half-baked, half-cocked, hasty, ill-considered, impulsive, intelligent, mature, not firm, overhasty, oversoon, precipitate, premature, previous, quick, rushed, smart, soon, too early, too soon, uncrystallized, unjelled, unmatured, unmeditated, unpremeditated, unprepared, unripe, untimely