/pyooh"beuhr tee/ , n.
the period or age at which a person is first capable of sexual reproduction of offspring: in common law, presumed to be 14 years in the male and 12 years in the female.
[ 1350-1400; ME puberte pubertas adulthood, equiv. to puber -, s. of pubes grown-up + -tas -TY 2 ]