premature

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Happening, arriving, or being done earlier than the normal, expected, or proper time.

   Grammar: Typically used before a noun or after a linking verb; not usually compared.

   Patterns

   • premature birth
   • premature death
   • it is premature to do something
   • premature to say

   The baby was premature and needed special care.

   His premature death shocked everyone.

   It is premature to celebrate before the final results are in.

2. 2adjectivenot comparablemedical

   Born or happening before the full term of pregnancy.

   Grammar: Used especially in medical contexts, often before 'birth' or 'baby'.

   Patterns

   • premature baby
   • premature birth
   • born premature

   She gave birth to a premature baby at 32 weeks.

   Premature birth can lead to health complications.

   The hospital has a special unit for premature infants.

Common combinations

premature death

Smoking can lead to premature death.

premature birth

Premature birth is a leading cause of infant mortality.

it is premature to

It is premature to draw any conclusions.

premature conclusion

Don't jump to a premature conclusion.

Synonyms and how they differ

early

Early simply means before the expected time, without the negative judgment that premature often carries.

untimely

Untimely means happening at an unsuitable or inconvenient time, often implying a negative effect.

prematurely

This is the adverb form; use it to modify a verb, e.g., 'He spoke prematurely.'

Opposites

Word family

prematurely adverb

Before the normal or expected time.

prematurity noun

The state of being premature, especially of birth.

Commonly confused: premature or premise?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “premature”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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