To develop or grow toward maturity; to reach or pass through adolescence.
From Latin 'adolescere' meaning 'to grow up,' from 'ad-' (to) and 'alere' (to nourish or grow). The verb form stayed close to its Latin roots even as it entered English.
While we usually use the noun 'adolescence,' the verb 'adolesce' is still technically correct—it means to literally grow toward adulthood, capturing the process itself rather than just the time period.
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