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
Spotify is reaching the age of puberty and still has the chaos and creativity of a teenager — the kind who might wreck the car or rewrite the rules.
—
Jeff Rabhan, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
Researchers analyzed data from more than 1,400 adolescents and found a strong link between sweetener consumption and central precocious puberty, a condition where puberty begins unusually early—typically before age eight in girls and nine in boys.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
For contrast, there’s also Bobo’s sensitive older sister, Vanessa (Anina Reed), who hangs ABBA posters on her walls and wears trendy print dresses, clearly yearning to go through puberty somewhere far away from here.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
After puberty’s onset, and after consulting mental health providers, doctors and parents, trans adolescents can be prescribed puberty blockers, which temporarily pause the body from producing the hormones that cause pubertal changes.
—Grace Abels, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for puberty
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Jeff Rabhan, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025
Researchers analyzed data from more than 1,400 adolescents and found a strong link between sweetener consumption and central precocious puberty, a condition where puberty begins unusually early—typically before age eight in girls and nine in boys.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
For contrast, there’s also Bobo’s sensitive older sister, Vanessa (Anina Reed), who hangs ABBA posters on her walls and wears trendy print dresses, clearly yearning to go through puberty somewhere far away from here.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
After puberty’s onset, and after consulting mental health providers, doctors and parents, trans adolescents can be prescribed puberty blockers, which temporarily pause the body from producing the hormones that cause pubertal changes.
—Grace Abels, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for puberty
Cite this Entry
“Puberty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puberty. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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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