maturation
Process of aging
Maturation is the process of becoming mature—reaching full development or ripeness.
The term applies to biological growth the maturation of the brain continues into the mid-twenties, psychological development, or the aging of products like wine and cheese.
In biology, maturation often refers specifically to the final stages of cell development, particularly in reproductive cells.
Gathering mature crops
- peakUtmost height attained
- climaxPoint of greatest intensity
- fruitfulProducing abundant results
- ripeReady to eat
vineyard · orchard · sweetness · mellow · fermentation · aging · curing · cellaring
Freedom from external control
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- coming-of-ageYouth becoming adulthood
- self-sufficiencyIndependence from outside aid
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
employment · career · marriage · parenthood · wisdom · experience · stability · homeownership
Increase in size
- hormonalRelating to body's chemical messengers
- pubertySexual development stage
- physiologicalOf body functions
- endocrineInternally secreting gland system
gonadal · menarche · spermatogenesis · oogenesis · metamorphosis · molting · fledging
Fitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
survival · heritability · divergence · genomic · phenotype · fitness · coevolution · ontogeny
Notable points of progress
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- psychosocialMind-society interaction domain
- neurologicalOf the nervous system
- infancyEarliest period of life
childhood · adolescence · socialization · attachment · Piaget · Erikson · scaffolding · differentiation
Gradual functional decline with age
- wrinklesSurface lines from folding
- geriatricsMedicine for the elderly
- elderlyAdvanced in age
- grayingLosing color with age
osteoporosis · menopause · andropause · seniority · presbyopia · arthritis · longevity · wear
harvest
Gathering mature crops
ripe · vineyard · orchard · sweetness · mellow · fermentation · aging · curing · cellaring · vintage
independence
Freedom from external control
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- coming-of-ageYouth becoming adulthood
- self-sufficiencyIndependence from outside aid
autonomy · employment · career · marriage · parenthood · wisdom · experience · stability · homeownership · suffrage
growth
Increase in size
- hormonalRelating to body's chemical messengers
- pubertySexual development stage
- physiologicalOf body functions
endocrine · gonadal · menarche · spermatogenesis · oogenesis · metamorphosis · molting · fledging
adaptation
Fitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- geneticsScience of hereditary transmission
mutation · survival · heritability · divergence · genomic · phenotype · fitness · coevolution · ontogeny · recapitulation
milestones
Notable points of progress
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- psychosocialMind-society interaction domain
- neurologicalOf the nervous system
infancy · childhood · adolescence · socialization · attachment · Piaget · Erikson · scaffolding · differentiation · self-awareness
senescence
Gradual functional decline with age
- wrinklesSurface lines from folding
- geriatricsMedicine for the elderly
- elderlyAdvanced in age
graying · osteoporosis · menopause · andropause · seniority · presbyopia · arthritis · longevity · wear · deterioration
- Virologyviral replication, viral shedding, bacteriophage, tropism, DNA virus
- developmentgrowth, progress, advancement, expansion, improvement
- growthgrowth, grow, growing, growth rate, increase
- adolescencepuberty, teenager, coming-of-age, growing up, teen
- ceramicspottery, porcelain, cup, bowl, plate
- child developmentbaby, toddler, newborn, infancy, milestones
maturationregression
Return to former state
retrogression · degeneration · reversion · decline · deterioration
maturationstagnation
Absence of flow or progress
arrested development · stunting · dormancy · standstill · stasis
maturationimmaturity
Undeveloped condition
unripeness · greenness · rawness · prematurity · juvenility
- sexual maturationDeveloping reproductive capability
mature, immature, maturity, matured, premature, maturing, immaturity, matures, prematurely