ENGLISH
REFERENCE

chewing

n.
US //ˈtʃuɪŋ// UK //tʃjˈuːɪŋ// chew·ing
  1. 1 the act of mastication (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Medicine

    the physical act of crushing food with your teeth.

    the physiological act of mastication, serving as the first stage of the digestive process.

    Example

    Proper chewing is important for your body to get nutrients from food.

    Example

    The patient experienced significant discomfort during chewing due to a misalignment of the jaw following the accident.
    • mastication
  2. 2 tobacco or khat use (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    the habit of keeping tobacco or certain leaves in your mouth to release their juices.

    the consumption of stimulants, such as tobacco or khat, by holding and grinding the material against the cheek.

    Example

    He gave up chewing years ago because it was bad for his teeth.

    Example

    In certain cultures, the social chewing of khat leaves is a traditional practice that facilitates community bonding and long conversations.

Etymology 1

From Middle English chewynge, chewand, from Old English ċēowende, from Proto-Germanic kewwandz, present participle of Proto-Germanic *kewwaną (“to chew”), equivalent to chew + -ing.

Etymology 2

From Middle English chewyng, chewynge, from Old English ċīwung, ċȳwung, ċēowung (“chewing”), equivalent to chew + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026