mātūrĭtas, ātis, f. [maturus].
I Ripeness, maturity (class.).
A Lit.: frugum, Cic. Tusc. 1, 28, 68: neque multum a maturitate aberant (frumenta), Caes. B. C. 1, 48, 5; frumentorum, id. ib. 3, 49 fin. : celerius occidere festinatam maturitatem, an accelerated, precocious maturity , Quint. 6 praef. § 10.—
B Transf., the full or proper time for any thing, perfection, ripeness, maturity : maturitates gignendi, Cic. N. D. 2, 46, 119: ad maturitatem perducere, Plin. 19, 3, 15, § 44: pervenire, id. 13, 4, 7, § 33: maturitatem adipisci, id. 19, 5, 23, § 67: partūs, id. 32, 1, 1, § 6: aestiva, fullness of heat , Cic. ap. Non. 343, 21 (Rep. 4, 1, 1 B. and K.): muriae, i. e. its proper strength , Col. 12, 6, 2: aetatis ad prudentiam, Cic. Fam. 4, 4, 4: ejus rei maturitas, id. Q. Fr. 3, 8, 1: habere maturitatem suam, id. Brut. 92, 318: maturitatem Galli criminando, mental maturity, ripe understanding , Tac. H. 1, 87; so, veteris imperatoris, Vell. 2, 125: indeflexa aetatis, Plin. Pan. 4, 7.—In plur.: temporum maturitates, mutationes, vicissitudinesque, the maturing of the seasons , Cic. N. D. 1, 36, 100; 2, 62, 155; but: si maturitas temporum, expectata foret, the full time , when the supplies would be exhausted, Liv. 22, 40, 9.—*
2 Concr., ripe fruit , Pall. Febr. 9, 12.—
3 Gentleness, mildness (late Lat.), Amm. 14, 1, 10.—
II Promptness, expedition (post-Aug.): poenae, Suet. Tib. 61: maturitatem beneficio Caesaris praestare, to hasten , Front. Aquaed. 105.