premature

adjective

pre·​ma·​ture ˌprē-mə-ˈchu̇r 

-ˈchər,

 also  -ˈtu̇r,

-ˈtyu̇r 

 also  ˌpre-

: happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time

especially : born after a gestation period of less than 37 weeks

premature babies

premature noun

prematurely adverb

prematureness noun

prematurity

ˌprē-mə-ˈchu̇r-ə-tē 

-ˈchər

-ˈtu̇r-

-ˈtyu̇r- 

noun

Synonyms

• early
• inopportune
• precocious
• unseasonable
• untimely

Examples of premature in a Sentence

Her premature death at age 30 stunned her family and friends.

Too much exposure to the sun can cause the premature aging of skin.

Recent Examples on the Web

This squares with human research, which shows that low aerobic exercise capacity is a powerful predictor of premature morbidity and mortality for healthy adults. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024

Medication can help prevent seizures and speed up the baby’s growth to shorten pregnancy if the health of the mother or fetus warrants a premature delivery. —Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 20 Sep. 2024

Travel could help reduce the effects of premature aging Travel could help reduce the effects of premature aging 03:13 Air travel is booming in the U.S., with record levels of passengers taking to the skies, bringing crowds to airports across the country. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2024

Research indicates that people who rank among the top 25 percent in terms of time spent exercising can sit for more than eight hours a day without increasing their risk of premature mortality. —Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin praematurus too early, from prae- + maturus ripe, mature

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

premature

adjective

pre·​ma·​ture ˌprē-mə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r  -ˈchu̇(ə)r 

: happening, coming, existing, or done before the proper or usual time

especially : born after a period of pregnancy of less than 37 weeks

premature babies

prematurely adverb

prematurity

-ˈt(y)u̇r-ət-ē  -ˈchu̇r- 

noun

Medical Definition

premature

1 of 2 adjective

pre·​ma·​ture

-mə-ˈt(y)u̇(ə)r, -ˈchu̇(ə)r, chiefly British ˌprem-ə-

: happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper, usual, or intended time

premature puberty

premature aging

especially : born after a gestation period of less than 37 weeks

premature babies

prematurely adverb

premature

2 of 2 noun

: preemie