- premature
- obsoleteconceived before marriageHow couples used to explain a birth before they had been married the requisite nine months.
How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. R. W. Holder. 2014.
premature
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prématuré — prématuré, ée [ prematyre ] adj. • 1632; lat. præmaturus « mûr avant » 1 ♦ Qu il n est pas encore temps d entreprendre. Je crains que ce ne soit une démarche prématurée. Il est prématuré de... (cf. Il est trop tôt pour). Il serait prématuré d en… … Encyclopédie Universelle
premature — premature, untimely, forward, advanced, precocious are comparable though rarely interchangeable when they mean unduly early in coming, happening, or developing. Premature applies usually to something which takes place before its due or proper… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Premature — Pre ma*ture , a. [L. praematurus; prae before + maturus ripe. See {Mature}.] 1. Mature or ripe before the proper time; as, the premature fruits of a hotbed. [1913 Webster] 2. Happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper or usual… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
prématuré — prématuré, ée (pré ma tu ré, rée) adj. 1° Qui mûrit avant le temps. Fruit prématuré. 2° Fig. En général, qui vient avant le temps. • Les choses prématurées perdent leur force et donnent du dégoût, SÉV. 416. • Ces éducations prématurées… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
premature — I adjective ahead of time, anticipatory, before time, embryonic, green, hasty, ill considered, ill timed, immaturus, inchoate, inopportune, mistimed, overhasty, praematurus, precipitate, rash, raw, sooner than due, sooner than intended, too early … Law dictionary
premature — (adj.) 1520s, from L. praematurus early ripe (as fruit), too early, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + maturus ripe, timely (see MATURE (Cf. mature) (v.)). Premature ejaculation is 1910, previously referred to in Latin as ejaculatio praecox … Etymology dictionary
premature — [adj1] earlier in occurrence than anticipated a bit previous, abortive, early on, embryonic, forward, green*, immature, incomplete, inopportune, overearly, oversoon, precipitate, predeveloped, previous, raw*, soon, unanticipated, undeveloped,… … New thesaurus
prematuré — Prematuré, [prematur]ée. adj. Il se dit proprement des fruits qui meurissent avant le temps ordinaire. Ces fruits sont prématurez. On dit fig. Un esprit prématuré, une sagesse prématurée, pour dire, Un esprit plus formé qu il ne sembleroit devoir … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
premature — In BrE this is pronounced prem ǝ tyuh ǝ or prem ǝ tyuh ǝ. In AmE the first syllable is often pronounced pree … Modern English usage
premature — ► ADJECTIVE 1) occurring or done before the proper time. 2) (of a baby) born before the end of the full term of gestation. DERIVATIVES prematurely adverb prematurity noun. ORIGIN Latin praematurus very early … English terms dictionary
premature — [prē΄mə toor′, prē΄məchoor΄, prē΄mətyoor′; ] Brit [ prem΄ətoor′, prem΄ə tyoor′] adj. [L praematurus: see PRE & MATURE] happening, done, arriving, or existing before the proper or usual time; too early; specif., born before the full term of… … English World dictionary
