PRECOCIOUS

PRONUNCIATION: (pri-KOH-shuhs)

MEANING: adjective: Exhibiting advanced development at an early age.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin praecox (premature, early ripening), from praecoquere (to ripen early), from prae- (pre) + coquere (to cook or ripen). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pekw- (to cook or ripen), which is also the source of cook, cuisine, kitchen, kiln, biscuit, apricot (an early-ripening peach, literally speaking), pumpkin, and Hindi pakka (ripened, cooked). Earliest documented use: 1650.
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PROCOCIOUS - preferring meat cooked rare (not done, even yet!)

PYRECOCIOUS - preferring meat well-done

PRECONIOUS - ice cream before it leaves the scoop