Where does “masticatory” come from?
Masticatory derives from English -atory, tracing back through English -ory and -y to Proto-Indo-European men-, via Middle French -ie, Latin -ia, and Latin -ivus.
masticatory (English): Something chewed, originally as a medicine, now...
Definitions
- Something chewed, originally as a medicine, now...
Ancestry of “masticatory”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | masticō | — |
| 2 | Latin | masticāre | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | μαστιχάω | I grind the teeth |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μάσταξ | mouth, jaws, that with which one chews; mouthful,... |