precocious

UK: /prɪˈkəʊʃəs/ US: /prɪˈkoʊʃəs/ ,(pri kō′shəs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pre•co•cious /prɪˈkoʊʃəs/  adj. 

1. Developmental Biology unusually advanced or mature:
   a precocious child.

pre•co•cious•ness, n. [uncountable]
pre•coc•i•ty /prɪˈkɑsɪti/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pre•co•cious  (pri kō′shəs), adj. 

1. Developmental Biology unusually advanced or mature in development, esp. mental development:
   a precocious child.
2. Developmental Biology prematurely developed, as the mind, faculties, etc.
3. Developmental Biology of or pertaining to premature development.
4. [Bot.]
   • Botany flowering, fruiting, or ripening early, as plants or fruit.
   • Botany bearing blossoms before leaves, as plants.
   • Botany appearing before leaves, as flowers.

• Latin praecoci-, stem of praecox (see precocity) + -ous 1640–50

pre•co′cious•ly, adv. 
pre•co′cious•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

precocious / prɪˈkəʊʃəs/ adjective

1. ahead in development, such as the mental development of a child
2. (of plants, fruit, etc) flowering or ripening early

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin praecox early maturing, from prae early + coquere to ripen

preˈcociously adverb