maturate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low (Rare/Technical)Technical/Medical, Archaic (in general sense)
Quick answer
What does “maturate” mean?
to bring to or reach full development, ripeness, or readiness.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to bring to or reach full development, ripeness, or readiness; to suppurate (in medical context)
In medical terminology, refers to the process of pus formation in an abscess; in general use, means to mature or develop fully, though this is rare and largely superseded by 'mature'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional difference in meaning. The word is equally rare and technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Clinical, formal, archaic. In a non-medical context, using 'maturate' instead of 'mature' would sound affected or like a mistake.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. Slightly more likely to be encountered in formal medical writing than in speech.
Grammar
How to Use “maturate” in a Sentence
[The abscess] maturates (intransitive)[The body] maturates [the abscess] (transitive, rare)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “maturate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The surgeon decided to wait for the abscess to maturate fully before incising it.
- In pre-antibiotic times, a wound that began to maturate was often a sign of inevitable discharge.
American English
- The boil will need to maturate before it can be safely drained.
- Historically, poultices were applied to help the infection maturate more quickly.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Possible in historical texts or specific medical literature.
Everyday
Virtually never used. 'Mature' is the correct choice.
Technical
Used in medical contexts to describe the suppuration process.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “maturate”
- Using 'maturate' in place of the common verb 'mature' (e.g., 'The cheese needs to maturate' is wrong; use 'mature').
- Misspelling as 'matureate'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While historically related, 'mature' is the standard verb for reaching full development. 'Maturate' is a rare, technical term primarily used in medicine to mean 'suppurate' (form pus).
Almost certainly not. Using 'maturate' instead of 'mature' will sound like an error. Its use is confined to specific medical or historical texts.
The related noun is 'maturation', which is common and used in both general (e.g., emotional maturation) and biological/medical contexts.
Rarely. The intransitive use ('the wound maturated') is standard. A transitive use ('to maturate an abscess') is theoretically possible but very uncommon; 'bring to maturation' or 'cause to suppurate' would be preferred.
to bring to or reach full development, ripeness, or readiness.
Maturate is usually technical/medical, archaic (in general sense) in register.
Maturate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmætʃʊreɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmætʃəˌreɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'maturate' as related to a 'mature' abscess that's ready to release pus.
Conceptual Metaphor
RIPENING IS DEVELOPING (The abscess ripens/maturates like fruit, reaching a critical point).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'maturate' most appropriately used?