metate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Specialist/Technical)Academic, Anthropological, Archaeological, Historical
Quick answer
What does “metate” mean?
A stone tool with a flat or slightly concave surface, used with a mano (handstone) for grinding grains, seeds, and other materials.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A stone tool with a flat or slightly concave surface, used with a mano (handstone) for grinding grains, seeds, and other materials.
Primarily refers to the Mesoamerican grinding stone, often made of volcanic rock. In archaeology and anthropology, it denotes a specific artifact type central to food preparation in pre-Columbian and traditional cultures. Can be used metaphorically to describe foundational or grinding processes.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties, as it is a technical loanword. Slightly more common in American English due to geographical and academic focus on Mesoamerica.
Connotations
Evokes pre-Hispanic, indigenous, traditional, and archaeological contexts. Neutral in technical writing.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general discourse. Frequency is tied to discussions of archaeology, traditional foodways, or museum exhibits.
Grammar
How to Use “metate” in a Sentence
[Archaeologist] excavated a [material] metate[Person] used the metate to grind [substance]The [adjective] metate sat in the [location]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metate” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The museum's collection featured an exceptionally well-preserved basalt metate from Costa Rica.
- Her research focused on the stylistic evolution of metates in the Valley of Oaxaca.
American English
- They found the metate buried near the hearth, still stained with ancient maize.
- Traditional cooks in New Mexico still prefer a lava rock metate for grinding chiles.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Standard term in archaeology, anthropology, and history papers describing Mesoamerican material culture.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might appear in museum descriptions, cultural documentaries, or historical novels.
Technical
Precise descriptor for a class of lithic artifacts, often classified by form (e.g., trough, flat, bowl).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “metate”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “metate”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metate”
- Mispronouncing as /ˈmiːteɪt/ or /mɛˈteɪt/.
- Using it as a verb (to metate).
- Confusing it with 'mano' (the handstone).
- Applying it to grinding tools from non-Mesoamerican cultures.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Both are for grinding, but a metate is a flat or concave slab used with a rolling/rocking motion of a mano (handstone). A mortar and pestle uses a pounding action in a bowl.
No. It is specifically used for the Mesoamerican and related Southwestern US/North American artifact type. Grinding stones from other regions have different names (e.g., quern, grindstone).
It derives from the Nahuatl word 'metlatl', which entered Spanish and subsequently English.
No, it is a low-frequency technical term. Most English speakers would not know it unless they have studied archaeology, anthropology, or Mesoamerican history.
A stone tool with a flat or slightly concave surface, used with a mano (handstone) for grinding grains, seeds, and other materials.
Metate is usually academic, anthropological, archaeological, historical in register.
Metate: in British English it is pronounced /mɛˈtɑːteɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɛˈtɑːteɪ/ or /məˈtɑːteɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None in common use. Potential creative metaphor: 'the metate of history' (something that slowly grinds and shapes).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: METAte – a META!lly important stone (meta) you ATE from, as it was used to prepare food.
Conceptual Metaphor
FOUNDATION/TRANSFORMATION: The metate is a source domain for concepts of slow, laborious processing, cultural foundation, and traditional knowledge ('the metate of tradition ground the corn of their identity').
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'metate' primarily used?