View synonyms for rumination

rumination

[ roo-muh-ney-shuhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the act of pondering or musing on something:
Understanding little of what was happening, I was semiconsciously storing away experiences, impressions, and ideas for later rumination.
something written or spoken that expresses such pondering or musing:
Her blog posts contain notes of spirituality, ruminations on the meaning of experience, and glimpses of her multifaceted life.
Psychology. excessive, repetitive thinking focused on the same, usually negative, idea or theme: characteristic of some obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders.
the act or process of chewing the cud, as cows, deer, and some other animals do:
Rumination helps cows efficiently turn grass, corn, and other feed into nutrient-dense milk.

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Other Words From

non·ru·mi·na·tion noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of rumination¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin stem of rūminātiō “a chewing of the cud,” equivalent to rūmināt(us) “chewed over again” (stem of rūmināre; ruminate ( def ) ) + -iō -ion ( def )

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