macerate

[ mas-uh-reyt ]

/ ˈmæs əˌreɪt /

verb (used with object), mac·er·at·ed, mac·er·at·ing.

to soften or separate into parts by steeping in a liquid.

to soften or decompose (food) by the action of a solvent.

to cause to grow thin.

verb (used without object), mac·er·at·ed, mac·er·at·ing.

to undergo maceration.

to become thin or emaciated; waste away.

Nearby words

macedonia, macedonian, maceió, macer, maceral, macerate, maceration, macewen's sign, macewen's triangle, macfarlane, macgillicuddy's reeks

Origin of macerate

1540–50; < Latin mācerātus (past participle of mācerāre to make soft, weaken, steep); see -ate¹

SYNONYMS FOR macerate

5 shrink, shrivel, fade, wither.

Related formsmac·er·at·er, mac·er·a·tor, nounmac·er·a·tive, adjectiveun·mac·er·at·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for macerator

macerate

/ (ˈmæsəˌreɪt) /

verb

to soften or separate or be softened or separated as a result of soaking

to break up or cause to break up by soakingmacerated peaches

to become or cause to become thin

Derived Formsmacerater or macerator, nounmacerative, adjectivemaceration, noun

Word Origin for macerate

C16: from Latin mācerāre to soften

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for macerator

macerate

[ măs′ə-rāt′ ]

v.

To make soft by soaking or steeping in a liquid.

To separate into constituents by soaking.

n.

A substance prepared or produced by macerating.