puberty
noun
pu·ber·ty
ˈpyü-bər-tē 
1
: the condition of being or the period of becoming first capable of reproducing sexually that is brought on by the production of sex hormones and the maturing of the reproductive organs (such as the testes and ovaries), development of secondary sex characteristics (such as male facial hair growth and female breast development), and in humans and the higher primates by the first occurrence of menstruation in the female
2
: the age at which puberty occurs often construed legally as 14 in boys and 12 in girls
Examples of puberty in a Sentence
He reached puberty later than most of his classmates.
Recent Examples on the Web
Although those who had already started on puberty blockers and hormones prior to the law were allowed to continue.
—
Danielle Marie Holland, Parents, 19 Apr. 2024
The two teenagers, who are anonymous in the lawsuit, have taken puberty blockers and hormone treatments — medical interventions outlawed by Idaho’s law, which is called the Vulnerable Child Protection Act.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puberty 
Danielle Marie Holland, Parents, 19 Apr. 2024
The two teenagers, who are anonymous in the lawsuit, have taken puberty blockers and hormone treatments — medical interventions outlawed by Idaho’s law, which is called the Vulnerable Child Protection Act.
—Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 18 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for puberty
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puberty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near puberty
Cite this Entry
“Puberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puberty. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
puberty
noun
pu·ber·ty
pyü-bərt-ē
1
: the condition of being or the period of becoming first capable of reproducing sexually that is brought on by the production of sex hormones and the maturing of the sex organs (as the testes and ovaries) and is marked by the development of secondary sex characteristics (as male facial hair growth and female breast development) and by the occurrence of the first menstruation in the female
2
: the age at which puberty occurs often defined legally as 14 in boys and 12 in girls
Medical Definition
puberty
noun
pu·ber·ty
ˈpyü-bərt-ē
plural puberties
1
: the condition of being or the period of becoming first capable of reproducing sexually marked by maturing of the genital organs, development of secondary sex characteristics, and in humans and the higher primates by the first occurrence of menstruation in the female
2
: the age at which puberty occurs being typically between 13 and 16 years in boys and 11 and 14 in girls and often construed legally as 14 in boys and 12 in girls
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