verb
macerate
MAS-uh-rayt/ˈmæsəreɪt/
To soften or break down through soaking in liquid.
The chef macerates sliced strawberries by soaking them in juice.
Etymology
Latin macerare described making something soft or tender by soaking it. The English sense retains that physical process: liquid softens material so that it separates or breaks down.
In context
there's always been this discussion in the industry the medicinal plant industry is how long do you have to macerate or steep plant material and alcohol before it's ready
More examples
- We macerate dried apricots in warm juice before baking.
- The berries macerate in their own juice for an hour.
- Prolonged soaking macerates the skin around the wound.
Forms
macerate · macerates · macerated · macerating
maceration noun — The softening of material by soaking.