ruminate
UKˈruːmɪneɪtUSˈruːmɪneɪt
Meaning
1v
To think about something repeatedly and at length.
2v
To bring swallowed food back to the mouth and chew it again.
Structure
Learning breakdown
ruminchew cud; think overateverb ending
Usage
He began to ruminate on the conversation.
She was ruminating on what to do next.
Cattle ruminate while resting.
Etymology
Ruminate comes from Latin ruminare, used both for chewing cud and for turning a thought over in the mind. Its connection with rumen, the gullet, explains the chewing image.
Analysis
Ruminating is the -ing form of ruminate, not a separate origin. Compare rumination and ruminant: thought and animal digestion share the historical image.
Word families
Browse allruminchew cud; think over
01ruminantAn animal that brings back food from its stomach and chews it again, such as a cow, sheep, or deer.ruminchew cud; think over02ruminationThe act of thinking deeply about something for a long time, often in a way that is not positive or productive.ruminchew cud; think over
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