ripeness
熟度
解説 Definition
果物や野菜が完全に成熟し、食べごろの状態。または比喩的に、計画や状況が実行する準備ができている状態を示す。
Ripeness is the state of being fully developed and ready to eat or use, especially for fruit and crops. It can also be used more broadly for the point when something has reached the best condition for a purpose. The word often suggests proper timing as well as maturity.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
ripe を知っていれば取りやすい語で、まず「ripe fruit＝熟した果物」を思い出し、その“熟している状態”が ripeness。-ness は dark→darkness, kind→kindness と同じく「〜さ・〜という状態」を作る接尾辞。食べ物なら the ripeness of peaches のように「食べごろ」、比喩なら a plan has reached ripeness で「実行に移せる段階」。overripe は「熟しすぎ」、maturity はもっと広く「成熟」なので分けて覚えると定着しやすい。
Begin with `ripe`, as in `ripe fruit`. Add `-ness`, which makes a state or quality, so `ripeness` means the state of being ripe. It is often about fruit being ready to eat, but it can also suggest that a plan or idea is ready at the right time.
例文
The ripeness of the peaches was perfect for making jam.
桃の熟度はジャムを作るのに完璧であった。
You can judge the ripeness of an avocado by gently squeezing it.
アボカドの熟度は、そっと握ることで判断できます。
The political climate had reached a ripeness for social reform.
社会改革に向けた政治的気候が成熟していた。
ripeness の類義語・関連語
ripeness の語源・成り立ち Etymology
ripeness は ripe『熟した』+ -ness『状態』。ripe は古英語由来で『収穫できるほど整った』が核なので、単なる甘さでなく『食べ頃・時機が満ちた状態』を表す。related: ripen, overripe。
Ripeness comes from ripe plus the noun ending -ness. Ripe goes back to Old English and originally carried the sense of being ready, mature, or fit for harvest. Because of that, ripeness came to mean not only full fruit maturity but also a state of being fully ready at the right time. Related words include ripen and overripe.
外部辞書で調べる
この単語を英単語クイズで覚えよう