PREMATURE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does premature mean? 

• PREMATURE (adjective)
  The adjective PREMATURE has 3 senses:

1. born after a gestation period of less than the normal time

2. too soon or too hasty

3. uncommonly early or before the expected time

  Familiarity information: PREMATURE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PREMATURE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Born after a gestation period of less than the normal time

Context example:

a premature infant

Also:

immature (not yet mature)

Antonym:

full-term (gestated for the entire duration of normal pregnancy)

Derivation:

prematureness; prematurity (the state of being premature)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Too soon or too hasty

Synonyms:

premature; previous

Context example:

a premature judgment

Similar:

early (at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time)

Derivation:

prematureness (the state of being premature)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Uncommonly early or before the expected time

Synonyms:

premature; untimely

Context example:

alcohol brought him to an untimely end

Similar:

early (at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time)

Derivation:

prematureness (the state of being premature)

 Context examples 

The CYP2D6*11 allele exhibits a clinically-relevant SNP (g.883G>C) that eliminates the splice acceptor site of intron 1 and results in a premature stop codon.

(CYP2D6*11 Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

Researchers analyzed data collected as part of the Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program study, an effort to understand respiratory difficulties in extremely premature infants during the first year of life.

(Diuretic therapy for extremely preterm infants does not alleviate respiratory problems, National Institutes of Health)

An electrocardiographic finding of a premature ventricular complex which occurs between two normal QRS complexes which have normal timing.

(Blocked Ventricular Premature Complex by ECG Finding, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Prior research had linked psoriasis with premature development of high-risk coronary plaque.

(Study links psoriasis treatment and improvement in heart artery disease, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The cessation of breathing in premature infants that lasts for more than 15-20 seconds.

(Apnea of Prematurity, NCI Thesaurus)

The condition of being undersized as a result of premature arrest of skeletal growth.

(Dwarfism, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The CYP3A5*6 allele exhibits a clinically-relevant SNP (g.14690G>A), resulting in deletion of exon 7 from the splice variant, a frame shift and premature stop at 184 amino acids.

(CYP3A5*6 Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

If the standard supplementation of 400 IUs of vitamin D is increased to 800 IUs daily there are reductions in the number of premature and preterm babies with extremely low bone density.

(Higher Dose of Vitamin D Increases Bone Density in Premature Babies, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

An electrocardiographic finding of premature atrial complexes which are not conducted to the ventricle, and which are not followed by a QRS complex.

(Blocked Atrial Premature Complex by ECG Finding, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

An electrocardiographic finding of two sinus beats followed by a premature atrial complex for 3 or more consecutive cycles; a regularly irregular rhythm of normal and abnormal P waves in a 2-1 ratio.

(Atrial Trigeminy by ECG Finding, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)