Definition of ruminate
ruminated
;ruminating
transitive verb
1 : to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly
2 : to chew repeatedly for an extended period
intransitive verb
1 : to chew again what has been chewed slightly and swallowed : chew the cud
2 : to engage in contemplation : reflect
ruminatively
adverbFrom the M-W Editors
ruminate was our Word of the Day on 12/23/2016. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of ruminate in a Sentence
The question got us ruminating on the real value of wealth.
He ruminated over the implications of their decision.
Recent Examples of ruminate from the Web
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About 10 percent of bereaved people get caught up in ruminating over troubling aspects of the loss, engaging in extensive avoidance of reminders of their loved one’s absence, or feeling overwhelmed by seemingly unrelenting emotionality.
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That notion didn’t always hold sway, and in some ways corrected the excessive anthropomorphism of the 19th century, when such august figures as Charles Darwin ruminated on the maternal affections of starfish and earwigs.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ruminate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
When you ruminate you chew something over, either literally or figuratively. Literal rumination may seem a little gross to humans, but to cows, chewing your cud (that's partially digested food brought up from the stomach for another chew) is just a natural part of life. Figurative ruminating is much more palatable to humans; that kind of deep, meditative thought is often deemed quite a worthy activity. The verb "ruminate" has described metaphorical chewing over since the 1500s and actual chewing since the early 1600s. Our English word derives from and shares the meanings of the Latin ruminari, which in turn derives from "rumen," the Latin name for the first stomach compartment of ruminant animals (that is, creatures like cows that chew their cud).
Origin and Etymology of ruminate
Latin ruminatus, past participle of ruminari to chew the cud, muse upon, from rumin-, rumen rumen; perhaps akin to Sanskrit romantha act of chewing the cud
First Known Use: 1533
Synonym Discussion of ruminate
RUMINATE Defined for English Language Learners
ruminate
playDefinition of ruminate for English Language Learners
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: to think carefully and deeply about something
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of an animal : to bring up and chew again what has already been chewed and swallowed
RUMINATE Defined for Kids
Medical Dictionary
ruminate
playMedical Definition of ruminate
ruminated
;ruminating
1: to chew again what has been chewed slightly and swallowed : chew the cud
2: to engage in contemplation
Learn More about ruminate
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See words that rhyme with ruminate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ruminate Spanish Central: Translation of ruminate Nglish: Translation of ruminate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ruminate for Arabic speakers
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