v.
Pronunciation: ' ma-s ə - ˌ r ā t
Function: verb
Inflected Form: -at · ed ; -at · ing
Etymology: Latin maceratus, past participle of macerare to soften, steep
Date: 1547
transitive verb
1 : to cause to waste away by or as if by excessive fasting
2 : to cause to become soft or separated into constituent elements by or as if by steeping in fluid broadly : STEEP , SOAK
intransitive verb : to soften and wear away especially as a result of being wetted or steeped
– mac · er · a · tion \ ˌ ma-s ə - ' r ā -sh ə n \ noun
– mac · er · a · tor \ ' ma-s ə - ˌ r ā -t ə r \ noun