Macerate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
To macerate means to soften or break down a substance by soaking it in a liquid, often used in cooking or chemistry. For example, fruits can be macerated in sugar to release their juices.
Definition:
To soften or break down by soaking in liquid, often for culinary or scientific purposes.
Synonyms:
soak, steep, soften, marinate
Part of Speech:
verb
Antonyms:
dry, dehydrate
Common Collocations:
macerate fruit, macerate herbs, macerate in alcohol
Derivatives:
maceration, macerated
Usage Tips:
Use "macerate" when describing the process of softening food or material by soaking it in liquid.
Common Phrases:
macerate the fruit, macerate overnight, macerate in wine
Etymology:
From Latin "macerare," meaning to soften or weaken by soaking.
Examples:
- 1. The chef will macerate the berries in sugar for the dessert.
- 2. To enhance flavor, macerate the herbs in olive oil before cooking.
- 3. The scientist used acid to macerate the tissue samples for analysis.
- 4. Macerate the citrus peels in alcohol to make a fragrant extract.