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# masticate

verb (masticate, masticates, masticated, masticating)

«masticate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (formal, science) To masticate is to chew food so it is broken into small pieces before swallowing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#m1)
2. (technical) To masticate rubber is to soften it by crushing and kneading it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons on digestion, mastication by the teeth is the first step: molars grind, incisors cut, saliva softens. In everyday talk it is a big, funny word for «chew». Phrases: «masticate your food», «mastication».

### Examples

- Digestion starts when you masticate your food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#x1)
- The cow lay in the field slowly masticating grass. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#x2)
- Molars help you masticate tough food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#x3)
- «Masticate thoroughly,» the doctor said, meaning «chew well». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#x4)
- Cows masticate their food twice by chewing the cud. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#x5)
- Mastication mixes food with saliva. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/#x6)

### Note

Formal word; everyday word «chew». Noun «mastication». In everyday writing «chew» is clearer. Past form «masticated».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «masticate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/masticate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«masticate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/masticate.html) on Mova free.