English Reference
adjective · noun

premature

adj. · n.
US /ˌpɹiməˈtʃʊɹ/ UK /pɹɪmətʃˈɔː/ pre·ma·ture

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.happening or done before the right time or before you are ready.

    adj.occurring or performed before the proper or expected time; often implies that the action was hasty or ill-timed.

    Simple

    It is a bit premature to celebrate when we haven't seen the final results yet.

    In context

    The director's premature announcement of the merger caused significant volatility in the stock market before the official contracts were even signed.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    adj.born before the full period of pregnancy is finished.

    adj.relating to an infant born before the end of the standard gestation period.

    Simple

    The premature twins needed to stay in the hospital for a few extra weeks.

    In context

    Medical advancements have significantly improved the survival rates for extremely premature infants born before twenty-six weeks of gestation.

    preterm
    full term
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    n.a baby that is born before it is fully developed.

    n.an infant born before the completion of the normal gestation period.

    Simple

    The hospital has a special unit dedicated to caring for prematures.

    In context

    The neonatal intensive care unit provides specialized respiratory support for prematures whose lungs are not yet fully functional.

    preemie
  4. 04 C1 Advanced TechnicalInformal Medicine

    adj.used to describe a man who reaches a sexual climax too quickly.

    adj.referring to the occurrence of ejaculation sooner than desired, typically before or shortly after penetration.

    Simple

    He was worried that his premature climax would affect his relationship.

    In context

    Clinical psychologists often treat premature ejaculation through a combination of behavioral exercises and anxiety management techniques.

    Usage

    Almost exclusively used in the set phrase 'premature ejaculation'.

Usage premature death

Air pollution can stunt the growth of young children's lungs leaving them at an increased risk of asthma, heart disease, diabetes and even premature death.

BBC News· 18 Aug 2026

It added it was aiming to to support families with feeding difficulties, premature births, delayed milk supply or other challenges, and would support up to 160 mothers.

BBC News· 3 Aug 2026

From Latin praemātūrus, equivalent to pre- + mature. First use appears c. 1440 in a translation of Palladius's De Re Rustica.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin praemātūrus
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated