mature

adjective (maturer, maturest)

• 1fully developed physically; full-grown:she was now a mature woman owls are sexually mature at one year
• (especially of a young person) having reached a stage of mental or emotional development characteristic of an adult:a young man mature beyond his years
• (of thought or planning) careful and thorough:on mature reflection he decided they should not go
• used euphemistically to describe someone middle-aged or old:Miss Walker was a mature lady when she married

• 2having reached the most advanced stage in a process:Van Gogh’s mature work
• (of certain foods or drinks) ready for consumption:a rather nice mature Camembert
• denoting an economy, industry, or market that has developed to a point where substantial expansion and investment no longer takes place: a mature, sophisticated economy

• 3(of a bill, bond, etc.) due for payment or repayment.

verb

• 1(of a person or thing) become fully grown or developed:children mature at different ages the trees take at least thirty years to mature
• (of a person) reach an advanced stage of mental or emotional development:he has matured and is ready to take on new responsibilities
• (with reference to certain foods or drinks) become or cause to become ready for consumption: [no object]:leave the cheese to mature [with object]:the Scotch is matured for a minimum of three years

• 2(of an insurance policy, security, etc.) reach the end of its term and hence become payable: when the policy matures it pays off the loan