pestle
Americannoun
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a tool for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar.
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any of various appliances for pounding, stamping, etc.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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a club-shaped instrument for mixing or grinding substances in a mortar
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a tool for pounding or stamping
verb
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has pestledperfect 3rd person singular
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have pestledperfect
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have been pestlingperfect progressive
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am pestlingprogressive 1st person singular
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are pestlingprogressive
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pestlingparticiple
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pestlessingular 3rd person
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has been pestlingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is pestlingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had pestledperfect
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were pestlingprogressive plural
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had been pestlingperfect progressive
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pestledparticiple
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was pestlingprogressive singular
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pestledsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of pestle
1300–50; Middle English pestel < Middle French < Latin pistillum, derivative of pistus, past participle of pīnsere to pound, crush
Explanation
A pestle is a heavy, blunt tool used to grind things up, such as spices or herbs. If you're grinding spices, you put them in a container called a mortar and use the pestle to smash them up until they're finely ground. The mortar and pestle was originally used by pharmacists to grind substances for medical use. Because they are sold together as sets and are always used together, many people aren't sure which is the mortar and which is the pestle. The origin of pestle is the Latin word pistillum, which means "pounder." This can help you remember that the pestle is the pounder. Also, pistillum looks like pistol, which is also held in the hand.
Vocabulary lists containing pestle
Pestle, Sieve, and Whisk: Useful Words for Cooking Tools
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Distance Between Us
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The Night Diary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Traditionally, the beans are ground with a tool resembling a mortar and pestle but, for the sake of speed, Netsi now uses a small electric grinder.
From BBC • May 31, 2026
A few had tooth structures that acted like a mortar and pestle and were able to grind in addition to just cutting.
From Science Daily • Oct. 5, 2023
In a perfect pesto world, that frozen sauce is homemade — a mix of tiny-leafed Genovese basil, Italian pine nuts and good olive oil that you’ve pounded by hand with a mortar and pestle.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2023
The next morning, I pounded some lemongrass and some chiles in a mortar and pestle and made some green curry.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2023
Ron repeated, pounding his pestle down so hard that it dented the desk.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
