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matures

- 2 dictionary results

ma⋅ture

  [muh-toor, -tyoor, -choor, -chur] adjective, -tur⋅er, -tur⋅est, verb, -tured, -tur⋅ing.
Use matures in a Sentence
–adjective
1. complete in natural growth or development, as plant and animal forms: a mature rose bush.
2. ripe, as fruit, or fully aged, as cheese or wine.
3. fully developed in body or mind, as a person: a mature woman.
4. pertaining to or characteristic of full development: a mature appearance; fruit with a mature softness.
5. completed, perfected, or elaborated in full by the mind: mature plans.
6. (of an industry, technology, market, etc.) no longer developing or expanding; having little or no potential for further growth or expansion; exhausted or saturated.
7. intended for or restricted to adults, esp. by reason of explicit sexual content or the inclusion of violence or obscene language: mature movies.
8. composed of adults, considered as being less susceptible than minors to explicit sexual content, violence, or obscene language, as of a film or stage performance: for mature audiences only.
9. Finance. having reached the limit of its time; having become payable or due: a mature bond.
10. Medicine/Medical.
a. having attained definitive form or function, as by maturation of an epithelium from a basal layer.
b. having attained the end stage of a normal or abnormal biological process: a mature boil.
11. Geology. (of a landscape) exhibiting the stage of maximum topographical diversity, as in the cycle of erosion of a land surface.
–verb (used with object)
12. to make mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.
13. to bring to full development: His hard experiences in the city matured him.
14. to complete or perfect.
–verb (used without object)
15. to become mature; ripen, as fruit or cheese.
16. to come to full development: Our plans have not yet matured.
17. Finance. to become due, as a note.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L mātūrus ripe, timely, early; akin to manes, matutinal

Related forms:
ma⋅ture⋅ly, adverb
ma⋅ture⋅ment, noun
ma⋅ture⋅ness, noun
ma⋅tur⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1, 3. aged, grown, adult. 2. See ripe. 5. ready, prepared. 12, 15. age, develop.

Antonyms:
1, 3. childish, raw, green, young.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To matures
ma·ture   (mə-tyŏŏr', -tŏŏr', -chŏŏr')   
adj.   ma·tur·er, ma·tur·est
    1. Having reached full natural growth or development: a mature cell.
    2. Having reached a desired or final condition; ripe: a mature cheese.
    3. Suitable or intended for adults: mature subject matter.
    4. Composed of adults: a mature audience.
  2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of full development, either mental or physical: mature for her age.
    1. Suitable or intended for adults: mature subject matter.
    2. Composed of adults: a mature audience.
  4. Worked out fully by the mind; considered: a mature plan of action.
  5. Having reached the limit of its time; due: a mature bond.
  6. No longer subject to great expansion or development. Used of an industry, a market, or a product.
  7. Geology Having reached maximum development of form. Used of streams and landforms.
v.   ma·tured, ma·tur·ing, ma·tures

v.   tr.
  1. To bring to full development; ripen.
  2. To work out fully in the mind: "able to digest and mature my thoughts for my own mind only" (John Stuart Mill).
v.   intr.
  1. To evolve toward or reach full development: The child's judgment matures as she grows older.
  2. To become due. Used of notes and bonds.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin mātūrus; see mā-1 in Indo-European roots.]
ma·ture'ly adv., ma·ture'ness n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to bring or come to full development or maximum excellence: maturing the wines in vats; aged the brandy for 100 years; developed the flavor slowly; fruits that were ripened on the vine.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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