Crossword Genius

Nowadays a superior officer is mature (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

adult

'is mature' is the definition.
('adult' can be similar in meaning to 'mature')

'nowadays a superior officer' is the wordplay.
'nowadays' becomes 'ad'.
'a superior' becomes 'u' (I've seen this in other clues).
'officer' becomes 'lt' (I've seen this in other clues).
'ad'+'u'+'lt'='ADULT'

(Other definitions for adult that I've seen before include "Supposedly "responsible" person" , "X-rated?" , "Older person" , "I wasn't born yesterday" , "(Of an animal) fully developed" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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