precocious
precocious Lexical Profile
precocious Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Having developed certain abilities, intellect, or behavioral inclinations at an earlier age than is usual or expected (especially of a child).
"The precocious seven-year-old was already reading classic literature and composing short piano pieces."
Flowering or fruiting earlier than usual, or appearing before the leaves in spring (of a plant, blossom, or crop).
"Forcing bulbs indoors can produce precocious blooms long before the spring thaw arrives."
• Rhymes for precocious
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from Latin praecox (stem praecoc-), meaning 'maturing early', formed from prae- ('before') and coquere ('to cook' or 'to ripen in the sun'). It was originally applied in English to early-blooming plants before shifting primarily to intellectually advanced children.