fully-grown

fully-grown — adjective

1. describes a living thing, especially a person or an animal, that has reached its

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a living thing, especially a person or an animal, that has reached its final adult size and will not get any larger

Example

Renata adopted a fully-grown dog from the shelter and skipped puppy training.

attributive use: fully-grown + noun (dog)

The zookeeper said the tiger cub was not yet fully-grown and would keep gaining weight.

predicative use: be fully-grown

Common collocations
  • fully-grown adult
  • fully-grown animal
  • fully-grown plant
  • fully-grown tree
  • become fully-grown
  • not yet fully-grown
Synonyms
  • adult

    more common for humans; adult also refers to legal age, not just physical size

  • mature

    broader — includes emotional or intellectual development, not just physical size

  • full-sized

    focuses on dimensions rather than developmental completion; often used for objects

Antonyms
  • young

    describes a creature still growing or in early life stages

  • immature

    may refer to physical or behavioural underdevelopment

Grammar Patterns

fully-grown + noun

be / become fully-grown

Usage Note

Can be used before a noun (attributive) or after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become' (predicative). Does not apply to non-living things — a building is 'completed' or 'finished', not fully-grown.

Common Mistakes

The building is fully-grown.
The building is fully built.
fully-grown only describes living things that have finished their physical growth.
She is a fully-grown woman at age 12.
She is a fully-grown woman at age 18.
fully-grown refers to completing physical adult size, not just being older than a child.