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Meaning of immature in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Classifying Adjective
    1. Definitions
  3. Qualitative Adjective
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions
  1. Pronunciation

    /ˌɪməˈtʊr/

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  1. Classifying Adjective

    immature

    Definitions

    1. lacking in development

    Examples

    • « immature plans »
    • « an unformed character »

    Synonyms

    • undeveloped
  2. Qualitative Adjective

    immature

    Etymology

    mid 16th century (in the sense ‘premature’, referring to death): from Latin immaturus‘untimely, unripe’, from in-‘not’ + maturus‘ripe’ (see mature)

    Definitions

    1. characteristic of a lack of maturity

    Examples

    • « immature behavior »

    Synonyms

    • adolescent
    • jejune
    • juvenile
    • puerile
    • babyish
    • childish
    • infantile
    • callow
    • inexperienced
    • naive
    • unsophisticated

    Antonyms

    • mature
  3. 2. (used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

    Examples

    • « young people »

    Synonyms

    • adolescent
    • teen
    • teenage
    • teenaged
    • boyish
    • boylike
    • schoolboyish
    • childlike
    • childly
    • early
    • formative
    • girlish
    • schoolgirlish
    • infantile
    • junior
    • little
    • small
    • newborn
    • puppyish
    • puppylike
    • tender
    • vulnerable
    • youngish
    • youthful
    • vernal
    • preteen
    • preadolescent

    Antonyms

    • old
  4. 3. not fully developed or mature

    Examples

    • « not ripe »
    • « unripe fruit »
    • « fried green tomatoes »
    • « green wood »

    Synonyms

    • unaged

    Antonyms

    • ripe
    • mature
  5. 4. not yet mature

    Synonyms

    • adolescent
    • embryonic
    • embryologic
    • embryonal
    • formative
    • inchoative
    • larval
    • prepubescent
    • prepubertal
    • prepupal
    • pubescent
    • pupal
    • underdeveloped
    • unformed

    Antonyms

    • mature
  6. 5. (of birds) not yet having developed feathers

    Examples

    • « a small unfledged sparrow on the window sill »

    Synonyms

    • unfeathered

    Antonyms

    • fledged
    • mature

Famous quotes

  • « The legal system in Afghanistan is very immature and porous. »
    Lindsey Graham
  • « The consuming desire of most human beings is deliberately to plant their whole life in the hands of some other person. I would describe this method of searching for happiness as immature. Development of character consists solely in moving toward self-sufficiency. »
    Quentin Crisp
  • « Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own... Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often mistakes one for the other, or assumes that the greater the love, the greater the jealousy. »
    Robert A. Heinlein
  • « Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats. »
    Woody Allen
  • « Imagination, the supreme delight of the immortal and the immature, should be limited. In order to enjoy life, we should not enjoy it too much. »
    Vladimir Nabokov

Browse dictionary

  • immaterialize
  • immateriality
  • immaterialise
  • immaterial
  • immature
  • immaturely
  • immatureness
  • immaturity
  • immeasurable
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