Maturation (noun and adjective) is the process of a clay or glaze reaching their optimal state. It is a balance between a tight, hard vitreousness and deformation (for clay bodies), running off the pot (for glazes), or totally melting into a puddle on the kiln shelf.
Other forms of the word include "mature" (verb and adjective) and "maturity" (noun).
For specifics on clay body maturation, see How Temperature Changes Clay[/link and Why Clay Bodies Shrink. For more on glaze maturation, see Temperature Ranges for Glazes.
The maturation of this glaze won't be reached until cone 11. (noun)
The maturation temperature of the clay body is at cone 10. (adjective)
Do the clay and the glaze mature at the same temperature? (verb)
The mature glaze is very glossy. (adjective)
This clay body is very tight and hard when it has reached maturity. (noun)