pestle

1 of 2

noun

pes·​tle ˈpe-səl How to pronounce pestle (audio) ˈpes-tᵊl How to pronounce pestle (audio)
1
: a usually club-shaped implement for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar see mortar illustration
2
: any of various devices for pounding, stamping, or pressing

Illustration of pestle

Illustration of pestle
  • pestle 1 (with mortar)

pestle

2 of 2

verb

pestled; pestling ˈpe-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce pestle (audio)
ˈpes-tᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

archaic
: to beat, pound, or pulverize with or as if with a pestle

intransitive verb

: to work with a pestle : use a pestle

Examples of pestle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Nothing replaces the way the two-piece mortar and pestle can crush spices, grind pesto or other herbal sauces, or smash nuts for a crispy topping. — Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 30 July 2026 Here, the four of us learned how to make authentic guacamole using a molcajete—a traditional Mayan pestle and mortar carved from volcanic stone, which infuses the avocado dip with a smoky, aromatic flavor. — Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Verb
This Tony, the future bad-boy tell-all insider of the culinary world, is still touchingly unformed—a mortar full of raw, pasty potential, crying out for life experience to pestle him into shape. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pestle

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pestel, from Anglo-French, from Latin pistillum, from pinsere to pound, crush; akin to Greek ptissein to crush, Sanskrit pinaṣṭi he pounds

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of pestle was in the 14th century

Rhymes for pestle

See All Rhymes for pestle

Browse Nearby Words

pestilentious
pestle
pesto
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pestle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pestle. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pestle

noun
pes·​tle
ˈpes-əl, 
ˈpes-tᵊl
: a usually club-shaped tool for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar

Medical Definition

pestle

noun
pes·​tle
ˈpes-əl also ˈpes-tᵊl
: a usually club-shaped implement for pounding or grinding substances in a mortar

More from Merriam-Webster on pestle

Nglish: Translation of pestle for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pestle

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