Standard Lemma guide

precocial

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /pɹɪˈkəʊ.ʃəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /pɹɪˈkoʊ.ʃəl/
  • Australian: /pɹɪˈkəʉ.ʃəl/
  • New-Zealand: /pɹəˈkɐʉ.ʃəl/

1

adj

Meaning 1

Hatched from the egg already covered in down and with eyes open; capable of leaving the nest within a few days.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, ornithology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

(of hatchlings) covered with down and having eyes open; capable of leaving the nest within a few days

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: altricial

History

Etymology

From Latin praecŏcĭa (“places where fruits ripen early”).