# maturity

/məˈtʃʊɹəti/ (US) · /mətʃˈɔːɹɪti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/maturity
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. personal behavior

noun · CEFR B2

the quality of behaving in a sensible and adult way.

For teachers: the state of being fully developed in character or emotional intelligence, typically associated with adult behavior.

- He showed great maturity by staying calm during the difficult argument.
- The candidate demonstrated a level of emotional maturity that far exceeded her years, handling the aggressive questioning with poise and professional distance.

Usage: uncountable in this sense

### 2. physical growth

noun · CEFR B2

the state of being fully grown or developed physically.

For teachers: the stage of life at which an organism has reached full physical development or is capable of reproduction.

- The trees reach maturity after about twenty years of growth.
- The researchers monitored the colony until the individuals reached sexual maturity, at which point the migration patterns shifted significantly.

Usage: uncountable in biological contexts

### 3. financial deadline

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

the time when an investment or insurance policy is ready to be paid back.

For teachers: the end of the period for which a financial instrument is issued, at which point the principal is due to be repaid.

- The bond will pay out its full value when it reaches maturity in five years.
- Upon reaching maturity, the long-term treasury bonds were liquidated to provide the necessary capital for the firm's planned expansion into emerging markets.

Usage: often used with the preposition 'at'

## Examples

- The bond reaches maturity in five years.
- Investors often choose a mix of short-term and long-term bonds to ensure they have cash available as each reaches maturity.
- While the physical maturity of the crop was evident, the market conditions suggested that delaying the harvest might yield a higher profit margin despite the risk of spoilage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.