Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or characteristic of prepuberty.
  • noun A prepubescent child.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Prior to the occurrence of puberty.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Before the age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction.
  • adjective Who is not yet capable of sexual reproduction. Immature.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective (especially of human beings) at the age immediately before puberty; often marked by accelerated growth

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

pre- +‎ pubescent

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Examples

  • A few examples: I was pretty stoked when Ugly Betty‘s Henry and Betty separated — a zit-plagued prepubescent is less awkward than that relationship — and didn’t really bat an eyelash when Jack and Kate ended their relationship on Lost.

    Which TV break-ups have you championed? | EW.com 2009

  • These operations were done in prepubescent children before bones and muscles had a chance to finally develop.

    Archive 2007-11-01 ____Maggie 2007

  • These operations were done in prepubescent children before bones and muscles had a chance to finally develop.

    Warm Springs (copy) ____Maggie 2007

  • Actually, it was when you used the word prepubescent that I started getting upset.

    Very unexpected side effects of oral sedation Elizabeth McClung 2007

  • Green has concluded that an inclination toward gender-atypical play in prepubescent boys — for example, dressing in women's clothes, playing with dolls, or taking the role of the mother when playing house — indicates a homosexual orientation 75 percent of the time.

    Homosexuality and Biology 1997

  • Green has concluded that an inclination toward gender-atypical play in prepubescent boys — for example, dressing in women's clothes, playing with dolls, or taking the role of the mother when playing house — indicates a homosexual orientation 75 percent of the time.

    Homosexuality and Biology 1997

  • I couldn’t make out most of what he was saying, but I thought I caught the word prepubescent.

    The Ex Games JENNIFER ECHOLS 2009

  • I couldn’t make out most of what he was saying, but I thought I caught the word prepubescent.

    The Ex Games JENNIFER ECHOLS 2009

  • I couldn’t make out most of what he was saying, but I thought I caught the word prepubescent.

    The Ex Games JENNIFER ECHOLS 2009

  • This finding is likely to prove controversial, in part because the report employs a definition of "prepubescent" children as those ages 10 and under.

    NYT > Home Page By LAURIE GOODSTEIN 2011

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