640: mature Sep 8, 2016

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Although it is hopefully the case that mothers are wise and levelheaded, 'mature' and 'mother' are not related. Instead, 'mature' comes from the Latin 'maturus' which means ‘timely, ripe’. The word is also related to another word with a connection to time: 'matins', coming from the plural in Old French of 'matin', which French speakers will recognize as 'morning'. The reason why the original French is secular in nature, but the English form is religious is due to influence from ecclesiastical Latin's word, 'matutinae' for ‘morning prayers’. Moreover, not only is there a religious connection for English speakers to 'matins', but it comes from the name of a Roman goddess, Matuta.

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