What does mastication mean?
Mastication is the formal term for the process of chewing. It describes the work done by the teeth, jaw, tongue, and associated muscles to break food into smaller pieces and mix it with saliva before swallowing. The word is used especially in dentistry, medicine, nutrition, and anatomy, where the mechanics and efficiency of chewing may be studied in detail. Good mastication can support comfortable digestion and may help a person feel full sooner, although it is broadly understood as the necessary mechanical first step in eating. In ordinary conversation, “chewing” is more natural, but mastication conveys a more precise or technical idea. It can also refer specifically to the movement and muscular action of the jaw during this process.
The process of chewing food by breaking it down with the teeth and mixing it with saliva.
"The food was swallowed after prolonged mastication."
Formal or technical; the everyday equivalent is “chewing.”
The movement of the jaw and the muscular activity involved in chewing.
"The dentist examined the patient's mastication and jaw function."
Especially used in anatomical and dental contexts.
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon because the process is usually discussed in the singular.
"The study compared the efficiency of different mastications."
Mastication is the body's original food processor: without it, every bite would be a much harder journey.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mastication come from?
Mastication comes through French from Latin masticatio, a noun formed from masticare, “to chew.” Latin masticare is generally connected with Greek mastichan, “to chew,” and ultimately with mastic, the aromatic gum obtained from the mastic tree. The word entered English in the early 19th century, initially in medical and scientific usage.
Related word forms
How mastication is actually used
The word is formal and especially common in medical, dental, and scientific contexts. In everyday speech, people usually say “chewing.”
Easily confused with mastication
Mastic is an aromatic gum or resin obtained from a Mediterranean tree, whereas mastication is the act or process of chewing.