pestle
UK: ˈpɛs(ə)l | US: ˈpɛs(ə)l
n. a heavy tool with a rounded end, used for crushing and grinding substances in a mortar
vt. to crush or grind with a pestle
The word "pestle" traces back to Old French pestel, derived from Latin pistillum (a pounder or crusher), which itself comes from pinsere (to pound or crush). The morpheme pest retains the core meaning of crushing, while -le functions as a diminutive or tool-forming suffix in English, similar to handle or thimble. The word’s evolution reflects its functional purpose—a tool designed for grinding or pounding substances in a mortar.
She used a pestle to grind the spices into a fine powder.
The pharmacist carefully pestled the herbs to prepare the medicine.
A wooden pestle is gentler on delicate ingredients than a metal one.
The rhythmic sound of the pestle hitting the mortar filled the kitchen.
Without a pestle, crushing these seeds would be much harder.