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
In one of the court’s biggest pending decisions, the justices will decide whether states can ban minors from receiving puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 5 June 2025
The Supreme Court's decision may create a national precedent on the rights of transgender minors to receive hormone therapy and puberty blockers.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
The new report comes as the administration ordered providers to stop offering puberty blockers and hormone therapy to anyone under 19, threatening to take away federal funding from hospitals that didn’t comply.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
Researchers are discovering this is especially true of female brains, which get remodeled significantly during the three Ps: puberty (as do the brains of adolescent males), pregnancy and perimenopause.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for puberty
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Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 5 June 2025
The Supreme Court's decision may create a national precedent on the rights of transgender minors to receive hormone therapy and puberty blockers.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
The new report comes as the administration ordered providers to stop offering puberty blockers and hormone therapy to anyone under 19, threatening to take away federal funding from hospitals that didn’t comply.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 1 June 2025
Researchers are discovering this is especially true of female brains, which get remodeled significantly during the three Ps: puberty (as do the brains of adolescent males), pregnancy and perimenopause.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 21 May 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 8 Jun. 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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