'precocious' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'praecox', where 'prae-' meant 'before' and the root related to 'coquere' meant 'to cook, ripen'.

'precocious' comes from Latin 'praecox' (meaning 'ripening early') and entered English in the late 16th century (via Medieval/Late Latin and partly through French influence) as the modern adjective 'precocious'; the adverb 'precociously' is formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly'.

Initially it meant 'ripening early; premature', and over time it came to mean 'showing unusually early mental or physical development', which is the primary modern sense.