ENGLISH
REFERENCE

precocious

adj.
C1 Advanced US //pɹiˈkoʊʃəs// UK //pɹɪkˈəʊʃəs// pre·co·cious

adj. having or showing more knowledge, skill, or maturity than people of your age usually have. You use this to describe a child who is very smart or an adult who acts younger than they are.

adj. possessing or exhibiting advanced knowledge, skill, or maturity beyond what is typical for one's age. Often used to describe children with exceptional intellectual development or adults who display childlike behavior.


SIMPLE

The precocious child could read at a very young age.

CONTEXTUAL

Her precocious nature allowed her to grasp complex scientific concepts that most of her peers found difficult.

COMPLEX

While some critics dismissed his precocious style as a mere imitation of older masters, others argued it represented a genuine breakthrough in modern art.

Antonyms
Origin

From Latin praecox (“premature, precocious, ripe before time, early ripe”), from praecoquō (“to ripen beforehand, ripen fully, also boil beforehand”), from prae (“before”) + coquō (“to cook, boil, ripen”). Doublet of apricot.

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