Precocity is a noun that refers to the state of flowering.

The Latin prefix P-R-A-E means ‘before’ and the verb coquere (ko ku WHERE ay) means ’to cook.’ These provide the basis for a word that means ‘to ripen.’ Related to the adjective ‘precocious’ as in ‘a precocious, or developing child,’ our word of the day grew into the English language in the 17th century.

The precocity of our little puppies makes me reluctant to feed them the same treats we feed our older dogs. I’m not sure if the developing bodies of those tiny creatures can handle grown-up food just yet.