ripened

The word "ripened" can be used as both a verb (the past tense of ripen) and an adjective. When used as an adjective, it describes the state of the fruit. In common conversation, people often use the shorter word "ripe" instead of "ripened" when describing fruit that is ready to eat. For example, saying "a ripe plum" is more common than "a ripened plum." While usually used for food, it can also be used metaphorically to describe a person's character or an idea that has fully developed over time.