precocious
Definitions
(Of a child) having developed abilities or maturity earlier than usual.
（指孩子）早熟的，早慧的。
(Of a plant or fruit) flowering or ripening unusually early.
（指植物或果实）过早开花/成熟的。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedprae (before) + coquere (to cook, to ripen) + -ious = 'ripened ahead of time.' The Latin idea that heat ripens fruit was applied first to early-maturing plants, then to people: a precocious child has 'cooked' — matured — faster than expected, showing adult-level talent young.
Root cook still carries 4 more wordsWhy It Means This
The link to cooking is the idea of ripening. Latin coquere meant both 'cook' and 'ripen,' and prae- means 'early' — so precocious literally means 'ripened early.' It started as a gardening term for fruit that matured before its season, then shifted to describe a child whose mind has matured ahead of schedule.
Common Collocations
- 1.precocious child早慧的孩子
- 2.precocious talent早熟的天赋
- 3.remarkably precocious异常早熟
Example Sentences
- 1.
The precocious eight-year-old was already composing music.
- 2.
Her precocious talent for chess amazed the judges.
- 3.
Some fruit trees are precocious, bearing in their first year.
Synonym Comparison
- precocious — talents/maturity arriving unusually early, especially in a child
- gifted — having exceptional natural ability, at any age, no 'early' implication
- mature — emotionally developed and sensible; not about early timing
- advanced — ahead of the normal level or stage, neutral and general
- prodigy (n.) — a person, usually a child, with extraordinary ability