I. ˈmasəˌrāt, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin maceratus, past participle of macerare to soften, from macer soft, weak — more at meager
transitive verb
1. : to cause (the body or its flesh) to waste away by or as if by excessive fasting
2.
a. : to cause (solid matter) to become soft or separated into constituent elements by steeping in fluid
flax macerated in water
fibrous food macerating in the cow's rumen
b. : to cause (a solid object) to soften and fray as if long soaked in water
a mallet with ends macerated by pounding
intransitive verb
: to soften and wear away especially as a result of being wetted or steeped
II. ˈmasərə̇t noun
( -s )
: a product of macerating : something prepared by maceration
examining the chromosomes in a liver macerate
— compare homogenate