Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French mature serious, sensible (c1250 in Old French), ripe (1495), of mature age (1536) and their etymon classical Latin mātūrus ripe, fully developed, also timely, early (compare senses A. 4a and A. 4b) < the same base as mātūtīnus matutine adj., and probably ultimately < the same Indo-European base as classical Latin māne early, in the morning (see mane adv.).Classical Latin māne and mātūrus probably represent differently extended forms of an Indo-European base whose further etymology is uncertain, but which apparently carried the sense ‘good, appropriate’. Compare also manes n. Old French mature represents a learned loan < classical Latin mātūrus : the regularly developed form is represented by French mûr mure adj.¹ Several of the senses of the English word are attested later than the equivalent senses of maturity n., to which they are probably due. Senses A. 4a and A. 10 are attested later than the equivalent senses of maturely adv. (see senses maturely adv. 2, 3b s.v.).

Etymology: Partly < Middle French, French maturer, transitive (1495 in medical sense, 1557 in sense ‘to bring to full development’) and intransitive (a1590 in medical sense, 1596 in sense ‘to ripen’), and their etymon classical Latin mātūrāre, transitive in senses ‘to ripen, finish in good time’, and intransitive in sense ‘to make haste’ (in post-classical Latin also in medical sense from 4th cent.) < mātūrus mature adj.; and partly < mature adj.In classical Latin mātūrēscere (see maturescent adj.) is used for ‘to ripen’ in intransitive senses (of fruit and in medical sense). In form madure after Middle French madurer (16th cent.). In form matere (see quot. a1400 at sense 1a) probably influenced by matter n.¹ (see sense 19b s.v.).