Macers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A methodical approach to softening or breaking down substances, especially in cooking or science
2. The act of steeping ingredients to extract flavors or properties by soaking them in liquid
3. A process of encouraging growth or decomposition through immersion in a solution or environment

Etymology: "Macers" is the plural of "macer," a word that entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman "macer," meaning an officer who carried a mace as a symbol of authority. The mace was the ceremonial staff of office, so a macer was literally the bearer of that weapon-turned-emblem, a sort of court usher or official attendant. The noun in your meaning, steeping ingredients in liquid to draw out flavour, is a different sense and is not explained by this source's etymology. Please check a fuller dictionary entry for how that sense developed from the officer's title.