masticate

verb

mas·​ti·​cate ˈma-stə-ˌkāt 

masticated; masticating

transitive verb

1

: to grind or crush (food) with or as if with the teeth : chew

The cows were masticating their food.

2

: to soften or reduce to pulp by crushing or kneading

intransitive verb

: chew

mastication

ˌma-stə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

masticator

ˈma-stə-ˌkā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• bite (on)
• champ
• chaw
• chew
• chomp (on)
• crunch (on)
• gnaw (on)
• nibble

Examples of masticate in a Sentence

The cows were masticating their food.

mindlessly masticated peanuts while watching the baseball game on TV

Recent Examples on the Web

Peltz’s decades-long record gave them plenty to masticate. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Centrifugal juicers generally only make juice, but masticating juicers can do a few more things. —Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2023

Crews have been preparing for over a year by clearing vegetation away from the bases of giant sequoias, thinning and masticating smaller trees, hauling off large logs and reducing the amount of vegetation around a road that surrounds the burn area, Gerhart said. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023

Your Questions, Answered Is a centrifugal or masticating juicer better? Both centrifugal and masticating juicers make excellent juice. —Caroline Thomason, Health, 5 July 2023

Your Questions, Answered Are masticating or centrifugal juicers better? —Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2023

Within the project footprint, crews thinned big trees to prevent fire from leaping from treetop to treetop, and masticated — or ground up — smaller trees and surface vegetation to keep flames closer to the ground. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2023

Juicers are usually divided into two categories: masticating and centrifugal juicers. —Caroline Thomason, Health, 5 July 2023

In coming days, as Congress moves toward votes on the deal, political commentators will thoroughly masticate the question of whether Biden or McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) prevailed in this dealmaking and which of them will be hurt or harmed politically by the outcome. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2023

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin masticatus, past participle of masticare, from Greek mastichan to gnash the teeth; akin to Greek masasthai to chew — more at mandible

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

masticate

verb

mas·​ti·​cate ˈmas-tə-ˌkāt 

masticated; masticating

: to grind or crush with the teeth before swallowing : chew

mastication

ˌmas-tə-ˈkā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

masticate

verb

mas·​ti·​cate ˈmas-tə-ˌkāt 

masticated; masticating

transitive verb

1

: to grind, crush, and chew (food) with or as if with the teeth in preparation for swallowing

2

: to soften or reduce to pulp by crushing or kneading

intransitive verb

: to make the motions involved in masticating food

mastication

ˌmas-tə-ˈkā-shən 

noun