adj · 4 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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prĭ-kō'shəs
/pɹəˈkəʊʃəs/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊʃəs
CMU ARPABET:P R IH0 K OW1 SH AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:P R IY0 K OW1 SH AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The precocious plant was already blooming flowers by day 4.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: serotinous
2
adj
Meaning 2
Exhibiting advanced skills and aptitudes at an abnormally early age.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The precocious child began reading the newspaper at age four.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: prodigious, tranty
Antonyms: altricial
3
adjective
Meaning 3
characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a precocious child
a precocious achievement
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: retarded
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
appearing or developing early
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
precocious flowers appear before the leaves as in some species of magnolias
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Latin praecox (“premature, precocious, ripe before time, early ripe”), from praecoquō (“to ripen beforehand, ripen fully, also boil beforehand”), from prae (“before”) + coquō (“to cook, boil, ripen”). Doublet of apricot.
Across languages
Translations
60 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
ранозрял
(ranozrjal)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Catalan:
precoç
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Chinese:
lêng-lāi
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Chinese Mandarin:
早慧
(zǎohuì)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Chinese Mandarin:
早熟
(zǎoshú)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Danish:
tidlig udviklet
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Danish:
tidlig moden
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Dutch:
vroegrijp
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Dutch:
vroegvolwassen
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Finnish:
varhaiskypsä
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Finnish:
pikkuvanha
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
French:
précoce
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Georgian:
ნაადრევი
(naadrevi)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Georgian:
მალემზარდი
(malemzardi)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
German:
frühreif
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Greek:
πρώιμος
(próimos)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Hungarian:
korán érő
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Irish:
seanchríonna
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Italian:
precoce
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Latin:
praecox
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Manx:
appee roish yn traa
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Norwegian Bokmål:
bråmoden
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Norwegian Bokmål:
tidlig moden
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Norwegian Nynorsk:
bråmoden
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Norwegian Nynorsk:
tidleg moden
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Portuguese:
precoce
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Russian:
скороспе́лый
(skorospélyj)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Serbo-Croatian:
на̀да̄рен
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Serbo-Croatian:
прѐрано развијен
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Serbo-Croatian:
nàdāren
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Serbo-Croatian:
prèrano razvijen
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Spanish:
precoz
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Swedish:
brådmogen
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Ukrainian:
скорости́глий
(skorostýhlyj)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Ukrainian:
скороспі́лий
(skorospílyj)
— characterized by exceptionally early development or maturity
Bulgarian:
преждевременно развит
(preždevremenno razvit)
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Catalan:
precoç
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Chinese Mandarin:
早慧
(zǎohuì)
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Dutch:
vroegrijp
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Dutch:
vroegvolwassen
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Finnish:
pikkuvanha
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Finnish:
edistynyt
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Finnish:
etevä
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
French:
précoce
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Georgian:
ნაადრევად განვითარებული
(naadrevad ganvitarebuli)
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
German:
frühreif
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
German:
altklug
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Hungarian:
koraérett
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Hungarian:
koravén
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Irish:
seanchríonna
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Manx:
appee roish yn traa
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Norwegian Bokmål:
bråmoden
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Norwegian Bokmål:
tidlig moden
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Norwegian Nynorsk:
bråmoden
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Norwegian Nynorsk:
tidleg moden
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Russian:
не по года́м ра́звитый
(ne po godám rázvityj)
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Spanish:
precoz
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Swedish:
brådmogen
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Swedish:
försigkommen
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
Swedish:
lillgammal
— exhibiting advanced skills at an abnormally early age
