Added 10 October 2026
pestle
/ˈpɛsəl/ noun
In Latin: pistillum Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pestle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Machine consisting of a heavy bar that moves vertically for pounding or crushing ores.
- A heavy tool of stone or iron (usually with a flat base and a handle) that is used to grind and mix material (as grain or drugs or pigments) against a slab of stone.
- A club-shaped hand tool for grinding and mixing substances in a mortar.
verb
Origin
From Middle English pestel, pestell, from Old French pestel, from Latin pistillum, from pīnsō (“pound, beat”). Doublet of pistil and pistillum.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)