premature

adjective

pre·​ma·​ture ˌprē-mə-ˈchu̇r How to pronounce premature (audio)
-ˈchər,
 also  -ˈtu̇r,
-ˈtyu̇r How to pronounce premature (audio)
 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 noun

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 Vivian, who was named after Allen’s mother, Vivian Ayers Allen, was born premature and weighed less than 4 lbs. Katie Mannion, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 But the furor over fuel emissions standards shows that prognostication was premature. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Jameela was born several weeks premature via emergency C-section on Jan. 5 after her mother, Sekani, began showing symptoms of preeclampsia. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 Related Stories Civil War hasn’t been seen yet by the media or audiences (its world premiere is next week at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival), so criticism of its content is arguably premature and — at minimum — lacks considerable context. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 This could lead to health complications, premature births and other issues. Tami Luhby, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 In an industry weighed down by manufactured personas and premature record deals primed to ruin futures, authenticity can be hard to find. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024 But with prospects for the arena seeming to dim as the Feb. 29 game approached, there were concerns that the move would look like a premature victory lap. Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2024 And yet, calls for Israel to stand down are premature. Amos Yadlin, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of premature was circa 1529

Dictionary Entries Near premature

Cite this Entry

“Premature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premature. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

premature

adjective
: 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

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

More from Merriam-Webster on premature

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