puberty
[ pyoo-ber-tee ]
/ ˈpyu bər ti /
noun
the period or age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction of offspring: in common law, presumed to be 14 years in the male and 12 years in the female.
Origin of puberty
1350–1400; Middle English
puberte < Latin
pūbertās adulthood, equivalent to
pūber-, stem of
pūbēs grown-up +
-tās
-ty2
OTHER WORDS FROM puberty
post·pu·ber·ty, adjectiveWords nearby puberty
Example sentences from the Web for puberty
British Dictionary definitions for puberty
puberty
/ (ˈpjuːbətɪ) /
noun
the period at the beginning of adolescence when the sex glands become functional and the secondary sexual characteristics emerge
Also called: pubescence Related adjective: hebetic
Derived forms of puberty
pubertal, adjectiveWord Origin for puberty
C14: from Latin
pūbertās maturity, from
pūber adult
Medical definitions for puberty
puberty
[ pyōō′bər-tē ]
n.
The stage of adolescence in which an individual becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction.
Scientific definitions for puberty
puberty
[ pyōō′bər-tē ]
The stage in the development of humans and other primates marked by the development of secondary sex characteristics, including menarche in females. In humans, puberty occurs at the onset of adolescence, between the ages of about 11 and 14 in girls and 13 and 16 in boys.