FromMiddle English*fulgrowen,fulgrowe,ful growe, equivalent tofull +grown. CompareMiddle Englishfulwaxen,fullwaxen(“full-grown”), fromOld Englishfullweaxen(“full-grown”).
full-grown (notcomparable)
- (of living things, especially animals) Fullydeveloped;adult.
- Synonyms:big,developed,grown up,grown-up,grownup,grown-ass(informal);see alsoThesaurus:full-grown
- Fully developed in a broader sense;complete, at one’sheight.
- Near-synonyms:full-fledged,full-blown,full-bore,full-on
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXIX”, inIn Memoriam, London:Edward Moxon, […],→OCLC,page61:[…] And, doubtless, unto thee is given
A life that bears immortal fruit
In such great offices as suit
Thefull-grown energies of heaven.
having reached an adult stage - referring to an animal
