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macerare

to macerate

verb mah-cheh-RAH-reh Rare
Food & Drink Cooking

Origin: From Latin macerare (to soften by soaking).

Also means

to soak

Usage Note

Macerare means to soften or break down a substance by steeping it in liquid, used in cooking (macerare la frutta nel vino = to macerate fruit in wine), winemaking, and papermaking. In a figurative or religious sense it means to mortify the flesh through penance — a usage now largely literary. The noun is macerazione.

Examples

"Lascia macerare la frutta per una notte."

Natural Translation

Leave the fruit to macerate overnight.

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