Masticatories

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Materials or substances used for chewing, particularly those that involve a muscular or sensory aspect, like food or chewing gum
2. Items or products designed to stimulate salivation and facilitate the act of chewing
3. Components or agents that enhance the chewing experience, often contributing to digestion and oral health

Etymology: "Masticatories" is the plural of "masticatory", and its history runs back to a Greek verb about grinding the teeth. The Ancient Greek "mastikhaō" meant "I gnash the teeth", and it came from "mástax", a noun for that with which one chews, which is a fine example of a word whose original sense was closer to the mouth itself than to any tool. The Latin "mastico" took the Greek verb over, and English added the suffix "-atory", the same ending found in words like "migratory" and "dilatory". Together these produced an adjective meaning relating to chewing, which was then used as a noun for the things that do the chewing. The plural form therefore refers to the teeth and related structures, or to substances meant for chewing, depending on the context.

Synonyms: chewing gum, candy