Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

macerate

/ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.51 in modern English

Syllables: mac-er-ate
IPA: /ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/

12

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To soften (something) or separate it into pieces by (or as if by) soaking it in a heated or unheated liquid.

verb

To reduce solids to small pieces (in a macerator).

verb

To make lean; to cause to waste away.

Archaic

verb

To subdue the appetite by poor or scanty diet; to mortify.

Obsolete

verb

To mortify the flesh in general.

Obsolete

verb

past participle of macerate

Obsolete

noun

A macerated substance.

Example Sentences

"Near-synonyms: comminute, crush, pulverize"
"Baal scuttles with ten tails Between as many legs as he could carry— Perhaps Thomas poking through the holes And finding resolution beyond the scales And incorporeal pain of the hammered Messiah,"
"“My dear child, how are you employed?” I knew the voice of the Superior, and I replied, “My father, I was sleeping.” “And I was macerating myself at the foot of the altar for you, my child,—the scourge is red with my blood.” I returned no answer, for I felt the maceration was better merited by the betrayer than the betrayed."

Etymology

First attested in 1534; borrowed from Latin mācerātus, perfect passive participle of mācerō (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), from Proto-Indo-European *mag-, *mak- (“to knead”), whence make. Cognate with French macérer.

Origin

Source language: Proto-Indo-European
First known use: First attested in 1534

Word Breakdown

Root: *mag-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/
British English: /ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/

Usage

Inflected Forms

macerates (present, singular) macerating (participle, present) macerated (participle, past) macerated (past) macerates (plural)

Derived Forms

macerater macerative macerator unmacerated

Frequently Paired Words

masticate

Synonyms

comminute crush pulverize waste emaciate

Questions

How do you pronounce macerate?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/.
What does macerate mean?: To soften (something) or separate it into pieces by (or as if by) soaking it in a heated or unheated liquid.
Where does macerate come from?: It is traced to Proto-Indo-European. First known use: First attested in 1534.

How to pronounce macerate

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “macerate”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈmæs.ə.ɹeɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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