Unreife

Unreife is a German noun meaning immaturity or the state of not being fully developed. It is derived from the adjective unreif, literally “not ripe,” and is used to denote a lack of maturity in various senses. The term can refer to people, processes, or objects when they have not reached an expected level of development or readiness. In everyday language, unreife often carries a normative nuance, implying deficiency or a need for growth, and is commonly contrasted with Reife, the concept of maturity.

In horticulture and food contexts, unreife describes produce that has not yet reached full ripeness, such as unreife Früchte or unreife Obst, with flavor and texture typically less developed. In psychology, sociology, and education, phrases like geistige Unreife or emotionale Unreife describe immature cognitive, emotional, or social functioning. The expression is widely used in discussions of development, personality, and behavior, and can be applied to individuals, groups, or systems (for example, an institution showing unreife procedures).

See also Reife; unreif; immaturity; maturity. For linguistic purposes, note that Unreife as a noun is usually feminine, die Unreife, and is declined like a regular feminine noun.