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masticating

- 2 dictionary results

mas⋅ti⋅cate

  [mas-ti-keyt]
Use masticating in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object), -cat⋅ed, -cat⋅ing.
1. to chew.
2. to reduce to a pulp by crushing or kneading, as rubber.
Origin:
1640–50; < LL masticātus, ptp. of masticāre to chew. See mastic, -ate 1

Related forms:
mas⋅ti⋅ca⋅ble  [mas-ti-kuh-buhl] , adjective
mas⋅ti⋅ca⋅tion, noun
mas⋅ti⋅ca⋅tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To masticating
mas·ti·cate   (mās'tĭ-kāt')   
v.   mas·ti·cat·ed, mas·ti·cat·ing, mas·ti·cates

v.   tr.
  1. To chew (food).
  2. To grind and knead (rubber, for example) into a pulp.
v.   intr.
To chew food.

[Late Latin masticāre, masticāt-, to masticate, from Greek mastikhān, to grind the teeth.]
mas'ti·ca'tion n., mas'ti·ca'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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