Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mastication

/mæstɪˈkeɪʃən/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.85 in modern English

Syllables: mas-ti-ca-tion
IPA: /mæstɪˈkeɪʃən/

15

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The process of chewing.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The process of crushing as though chewed.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"“It is no more blasphemous than that thing which is swiping our meat,” I replied, for whatever the thing was, it had leaped upon our deer and was devouring it in great mouthfuls which it swallowed without mastication. The creature appeared to be a great lizard at least ten feet high, with a huge, powerful tail as long as its torso, mighty hind legs and short forelegs."

Etymology

From Late Latin masticātiō, equivalent to masticate + -ion.

Word Breakdown

Root: masticātiō
Suffix: masticate

Usage

Inflected Forms

mastications (plural)

Derived Forms

demastication premastication remastication

Phrases

muscle of mastication

Frequently Paired Words

masticate masticator masticatory maceration

Synonyms

chew chewing manduction

Rhymes With

information education situation population station association administration operation organization head station nation location

Questions

How do you pronounce mastication?: The recorded pronunciation is /mæstɪˈkeɪʃən/.
What does mastication mean?: The process of chewing.
Where does mastication come from?: From Late Latin masticātiō, equivalent to masticate + -ion.

How to pronounce mastication

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “mastication”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/mæstɪˈkeɪʃən/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “mastication”.
Repeat and practice — Say “mastication” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.