puberty

Definition

A developmental phase brought about by the action of hormones as part of the maturing process. For humans, there are three in total.

Etymology

From Middle English puberte, from Old French puberté, from Latin pūbertās (“the age of maturity, manhood”).

Example Sentences

• "Girls undergoing puberty show an increase in the total output of cortisol, which is related to stress, while boys show little increase."
• "As shown in Figure 14.4 of the textbook, children reach puberty at different ages in different countries; within those nations, children living in cities tend to reach puberty earlier than those living in rural areas."