How do you pronounce premature?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˌpɹi.məˈtʊɹ/.

premature

/ˌpɹi.məˈtʊɹ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.70 in modern English

Syllables: pre-ma-ture
IPA: /ˌpɹi.məˈtʊɹ/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Occurring before a state of readiness or maturity has arrived.

adj

Taking place earlier than anticipated, prepared for, or desired.

adj

Suffering from premature ejaculation.

Informal

noun

An infant born prematurely.

Example Sentences

"a premature birth"
"premature reports of the singer's death"
"Secondly, technical development must have reached an advanced stage: communism in a premature state would only be generalized poverty."
"I was lost in reveries of death, and the idea of premature burial held continual possession of my brain."

Etymology

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

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: praemātūrus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌpɹi.məˈtʊɹ/
British English: /ˌpɹɛ.məˈtjʊə/

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

more premature (comparative) most premature (superlative) præmature (alternative, archaic) prematures (plural)

Derived Forms

nonpremature preemie prematurely prematureness prematurity unpremature

Phrases

premature antifascist premature birth premature ejaculation premature ejaculator premature optimisation premature optimization get ahead of oneself

Frequently Paired Words

unexpected unprepared prompt prematurely get ahead of oneself

Synonyms

anticipatory early forward hasty precipitate precocious premature prevenient previous unseasonable untimely

Antonyms

nonpremature overdue punctual

Rhymes With

you're sure tour ensure secure pure cure mature moore assure obscure endure