masticate

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromμαστιχάω“to grind the teeth”
2. Latin · borrowed frommasticātus
3. English todaymasticate

From Latin masticātus, perfect passive participle of masticō (“to chew”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Alternatively, back-formation from mastication, either ultimately from Ancient Greek μαστιχάω (mastikháō, “to grind the teeth”). Compare French mastiquer.

Words from the same roots