puberty

Etymology

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

noun

1. A developmental phase brought about by the action of hormones as part of the maturing process. For humans, there are three in total.
   Girls undergoing puberty show an increase in the total output of cortisol, which is related to stress, while boys show little increase. 2014, Lewis Wolpert, Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man?
   1. (more common) The process of sexual development that produces secondary sex characteristics and makes a person capable of reproducing sexually.
2. The age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction.
   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. 2009, The Development of Children Study Guide, page 241
3. The period when a plant begins to flower.