mastication
noun
- mechanical procedure for crushing the food and its first enzymatic splitting
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /mæstɪˈkeɪʃən/
noun
Etymology: From Late Latin masticātiō, equivalent to masticate + -ion.
- The process of chewing.
““It is no more blasphemous than that thing which is swiping our meat,” I replied, for whatever the thing was, it had leaped upon our deer and was devouring it in great mouthfuls which it swallowed without mastication. The creature appeared to be a great lizard at least ten feet high, with a huge, powerful tail as long as its torso, mighty hind legs and short forelegs.”
- The process of crushing as though chewed.