PUBES'CENCE, noun [Latin pubescens, pubesco, to shoot, to grow mossy or hairy.] 1. The state of a youth who has arrived at puberty; or the state of puberty. 2. In botany, hairiness; shagginess; the hairy or downy substance on plants.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI