maturity
B2Formal and neutral; common in professional, academic, and personal development contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The state of being fully developed, grown, or complete, either physically, mentally, or in terms of time (e.g., of a financial instrument).
The quality of behaving in a sensible, adult way; the combination of emotional, intellectual, and social development that characterizes an adult. In finance, the date when a financial obligation (like a bond or loan) becomes due for payment.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has a positive connotation when referring to personal character (wisdom, responsibility) but is neutral in financial/technical contexts. It implies a process that has reached its endpoint.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. The financial usage is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in British English for personal qualities. In American business contexts, 'maturity date' is extremely common.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties; core meaning is shared.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
maturity of [something] (e.g., maturity of judgement)maturity to [infinitive] (e.g., maturity to handle)maturity in [doing something] (e.g., maturity in dealing with)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Come of age (related concept)”
- “Act your age (related concept)”
- “Grow into oneself (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the date a financial obligation becomes due (e.g., 'The bond's maturity is in 2030.')
Academic
Used in psychology, education, and biology to describe stages of development (e.g., 'cognitive maturity').
Everyday
Describes a person's responsible and sensible behaviour (e.g., 'He showed great maturity in that situation.')
Technical
In engineering or food science, can describe the optimal state of development (e.g., 'cheese maturity').
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The fruit is picked when it reaches maturity.
- Children grow towards maturity.
- He showed a lot of maturity for his age.
- The insurance policy will pay out at maturity.
- Emotional maturity is key to a healthy relationship.
- Investors are concerned about the bond's maturity profile.
- Her artistic maturity was evident in the nuanced complexity of her later works.
- The company is refinancing its debt to stagger the maturity dates and reduce risk.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a ripe, MATURE tomato (sounds like 'mature-ity') – it's reached its full size, colour, and flavour, just like a person who has reached maturity.
Conceptual Metaphor
MATURITY IS A JOURNEY'S END / MATURITY IS RIPENESS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating as 'зрелость' for financial 'maturity date'; use 'срок погашения'.
- Don't confuse with 'совершеннолетие' (legal age of majority); 'maturity' is broader.
- In personal contexts, 'maturity' is closer to 'взрослость' or 'зрелость', not just возраст.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'matureness' (incorrect; the noun is 'maturity').
- Misspelling as 'maturaty' or 'maturuity'.
- Confusing 'maturity' (state) with 'mature' (adjective/verb).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'maturity' NOT typically apply?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it applies to living things (plants, animals), financial products, ideas, and even cheeses or wines, indicating a state of full development or readiness.
'Mature' is primarily an adjective (a mature person) or a verb (to mature over time). 'Maturity' is the noun form describing the state or quality of being mature.
Rarely. It is almost always positive or neutral. In a financial crisis, an 'early maturity' of debt can be problematic, but the word itself is neutral.
Common patterns: 'reach/attain maturity' (no preposition), 'maturity of [something]', 'maturity in [a field/behaviour]', and 'at maturity' (for financial contexts).
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