| precocious | (adj) characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude), Ant. retarded, Example: a precocious child; a precocious achievement |
| precocious | (adj) appearing or developing early, Example: precocious flowers appear before the leaves as in some species of magnolias |
| precocious dentition | (n) teething at an earlier age than expected |
| precociously | (adv) in a precocious manner, Example: her child behaves precociously |
| precociousness | (n) intelligence achieved far ahead of normal developmental schedules, Syn. precocity |
| Precocious | a. [ L. praecox, -ocis, and praecoquus, fr. praecoquere to cook or ripen beforehand; prae before + coquere to cook. See 3d Cook, and cf. Apricot. ] |
| Precociously | adv. In a precocious manner. [ 1913 Webster ] |