premature

Word family

Related topics: Birth, Biology

pre·ma·ture /ˈpremətʃə, -tʃʊə, ˌpreməˈtʃʊə $ ˌpriːməˈtʃʊr◂/ adjectiveadj

1 EARLYhappening before the natural or proper time 過早的，提早的

his premature death due to cancer

他因癌症而早逝

premature ageing of the skin

皮膚的早衰

2 MBa premature baby is born before the usual time of birth 〔嬰兒〕早産的

a premature birth

早産

The baby was six weeks premature.

那個嬰兒早産了六個星期。

3 EARLYdone too early or too soon 〔做事〕過早的，過快的；倉促的，草率的；不成熟的

a premature order to attack

倉促的進攻命令

Any talk of a deal is premature.

現在談論協議還爲時過早。

it is premature (for somebody) to do something

It would be premature to accuse anyone until the investigation is complete.

調查結束之前譴責任何人都爲時過早。

—prematurely adverbadv

The baby was born prematurely.

這孩子是早産兒。

Examples from the Corpus

premature• It has been proved that sunbathing causes premature ageing of the skin.• Her baby was premature and weighed only 2kg.• They looked empty and forlorn as if they had not yet adjusted themselves to their premature change of life.• Traffic was at an angry crawl, a dazzling confusion of lights and wet reflections in the premature darkness.• Payton's premature death was caused by lung cancer.• Alcoholism is one of the major causes of premature death.• Even so, Mr Mieno seems in no mood to be pushed into premature easing.• I wanted everything to advance at its own pace-no abrupt moves, no premature gestures.• Naturally, this is much more difficult for the parents of a premature infant.• And just exactly how many weeks premature is this baby?• But I caught myself, decided not to make premature judgments, and tried to listen as sympathetically as I could.• It would be premature to conclude that Wilson will lose the election.

Origin premature

(1500-1600) Latin praematurus, from maturus; → MATURE1

pre·ma·ture adjectiveadj

Syllable

Corpus