masticate
/ˈmæstɪkeɪt/ verb
Forms masticates masticating masticated
- verb (transitive) To chew (usually food). “The cow stood, quietly masticating its cud.”
- verb (transitive) To grind or knead something into a pulp.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Latin masticātus, perfect passive participle of masticō (“to chew”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Alternatively, back-formation from mastication, either ultimately from Ancient Greek μαστιχάω (mastikháō, “to grind the teeth”). Compare French mastiquer.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To grind or crush with, or as with, the teeth and prepare for swallowing and digestion; to chew; as, to masticate food.
Etymology [L. masticatus, p. p. of masticare to chew, prob. fr. mastiche mastic. See Mastic.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “masticate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details