masticate

American  

[mas-ti-keyt] / ˈmæs tɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

masticates, present (3rd person singular) masticated, past participle, past masticating present participle

1. to chew.

2. to reduce to a pulp by crushing or kneading, as rubber.

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masticate British  

/ ˈmæstɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. to chew (food)

2. to reduce (materials such as rubber) to a pulp by crushing, grinding, or kneading

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Usage

What does masticate mean? Masticate is a technical word meaning to chew. The word masticate is almost always used in a scientific or technical context. In the everyday context of eating, people usually just say chew. The noun form of masticate is mastication, which refers to the act of chewing. Less commonly, masticate means to reduce to a pulp by crushing or kneading, as is done in the rubber-making process. Example: When we masticate, saliva is released from glands under the tongue to aid in the process of chewing and swallowing.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mastication
  noun
• masticator
  noun
• remasticate
  verb
• half-masticated
  adjective
• masticable
  adjective
• unmasticated
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• masticating
  present
• masticated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• masticate
  simple
• masticates
  simple
• have masticated
  perfect
• has masticated
  perfect
• am masticating
  progressive
• are masticating
  progressive
• is masticating
  progressive
• have been masticating
  perfect progressive
• has been masticating
  perfect progressive

Past

• masticated
  simple
• had masticated
  perfect
• was masticating
  progressive
• were masticating
  progressive
• had been masticating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will masticate
  simple
• will have masticated
  perfect
• will be masticating
  progressive
• will have been masticating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of masticate

First recorded in 1640–50; from Late Latin masticātus, past participle of masticāre “to chew”; see mastic, -ate ¹

Explanation

To masticate is to chew your food or to bite and grind stuff with your teeth. While humans use their teeth, primarily molars, to masticate their food, some animals have evolved other ways to do this. Some masticate by crushing food between hard plates on the top and bottom of their mouths, and others masticate by using a spiny tongue to break down their food.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

masticate masticates masticated masticating

‘Conclave’ costars John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci can masticate the scenery with the best of them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2024

And dogs have been known to yap and masticate their displeasure.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 27, 2020

"Nature will castigate those who don't masticate," Fletcher famously said.

From Chicago Tribune ● Nov. 19, 2014

Mary Berry will never masticate on telly again.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 11, 2013

“Cherries are the fruit. Pop 'em in, slide out the stone, masticate, swallow, finito. None of this...spatter and gore.”

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Several tense seconds pass as she masticates, before she declares the World's Most Expensive Hot Dog both "incredible" and "amazing."

From Salon ● May 28, 2021

With a final belch or fart, he’s off again as he masticates his final bite.

From Slate ● Jan. 26, 2018

At first, it’s entertaining to watch as Penn bares fangs and madly masticates screenwriter Will Beall’s overcooked dialogue.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 9, 2013

These he pops into his mouth, and there is an audible crunch as he masticates them into oblivion.

From Time Magazine Archive

Let him be closely watched, to ascertain that he well masticates his food, and that he does not eat too quickly; for young children are apt to bolt their food.

From Advice to a Mother on the Management of Her Children by Chavasse, Pye Henry

You’ll be able to make your mark again, on a clean canvas just waiting for your expression of masticated public “art.”

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 19, 2023

Under its rules, the measure embodying the program, AB 1400, must be sent by Jan. 31 from the Assembly to the Senate, where it is likely to be masticated into the summer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 14, 2022

Some areas were to be left as they were, some were to be hand-thinned with a focus on retaining rotting tree trunks, and some were to be aggressively masticated and then burned.

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 19, 2019

Like all notions that have been marinated and masticated by generations of academic philosophers, this movement has been minced to bits.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 2, 2019

He smears the masticated leaf all over Haye’s body, and then packs it with mossy soil.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

“We’ve been basically clearing the forest of trees that are 8 inches and under, pruning trees up 8 to 10 feet for ladder purposes, and then chipping, masticating or exposing the material that we cut.”

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 11, 2023

The open question is what we are once technology is done masticating all those memories and stories.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2022

With large mandibles capable of dismembering and masticating honeybees en masse — and stingers that can puncture beekeeping suits — the V. mandarinia has become an increasing threat to honeybee hives in the U.S.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 12, 2021

People go to the movies to be transported, but mass masticating, texting, and talking can make patrons feel like they’re in an experiment testing their ability to focus.

From Slate ● Dec. 27, 2012

He adds that hard work is involved—“the tedium of going through what has often been written and read, and of masticating repeatedly, as it were, the same food.”

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith