precocious
Precocious (adjective) means showing skills, knowledge, or maturity unusually early for one's age. Example: “The precocious six-year-old was already reading novels meant for teenagers.”
How to use precocious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAdvanced beyond one's years — usually said of children who act, learn, or perform like someone much older.
Word forms
- Comparative
- more precocious
- Superlative
- most precocious
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ six-year-old was already reading novels meant for teenagers.
Etymology
From Latin praecox, \"ripening early,\" from praecoquere, \"to ripen beforehand\" — literally related to cooking or ripening ahead of schedule. Surprisingly, "apricot" comes from the very same root.
Rhymes for precocious
See all rhymes for precocious →Frequently asked questions
What does “precocious” mean?
The word “precocious” means showing skills, knowledge, or maturity unusually early for one's age. In plain terms, advanced beyond one's years — usually said of children who act, learn, or perform like someone much older.
How do you pronounce “precocious”?
“Precocious” is pronounced pruh-KOH-shuhs (/pɹəˈkəʊʃəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “precocious” in a sentence?
Here is “precocious” used in a sentence: “The precocious six-year-old was already reading novels meant for teenagers.”
What part of speech is “precocious”?
“Precocious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “precocious” come from?
The word “precocious” comes from Latin. From Latin praecox, \"ripening early,\" from praecoquere, \"to ripen beforehand\" — literally related to cooking or ripening ahead of schedule. Surprisingly, "apricot" comes from the very same root.
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