Dictionary

morsel en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɔɹsəl/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˈmɔːsəl/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English morsel, from Old French morsel, from Medieval Latin morsellum (“a bit, a little piece”), diminutive of Latin morsum (“a bit”), neuter of morsus, perfect passive participle of mordeo (“to bite”). Compare French morceau, whence the English doublet morceau.

Meanings

1. A small fragment or share of something, commonly applied to food.
   • By sticking out his tongue and curling it sideways to explore the hairy jungle around his mouth, he was always able to find a tasty morsel here and there to nibble on. 1979, Roald Dahl, The Twits:
   • If a morsel of food fell off your plate, the advice of one contemporary document was to pick it up, make the sign of the cross over it, season it well - and then eat it. 1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 122:
2. A mouthful of food.
   • Me thinks I ſee the Turke nodding vvith his Turban, and telling me that I ſhould thanke Heaven for that diſtance vvhich is betvvixt us, els he vvould ſvvallovv me all up at one morſell; […] 1644, James Howell, England’s Teares, for the Present Wars, […], London: […] Richard Heron, →OCLC, page 4:
3. A very small amount.
   • Didn't even a morsel of decency remain in his brother? 2008, Pamela Griffin, New York Brides, Barbour Publishing, →ISBN, page 70:

Forms

Deriveds

morselize · morselization · Adam's morsel

Relateds

mordant · remorse

Synonyms

dot · morsel · tad · whit · grain · mote · thought · glimmer · aught · glint · smidgen · piece · pinch · skoosh · scantling · halfpennyworth · molecule · toddick · smitch · skerrick · lick · flyspeck · atom · whiff · pennyworth · semblance · spatter · bit · glimpse · hoot · ace · damn · hooter · scintilla · particle · smidge · scruple · vestige · continental · fleck · drop · sprinkling · trace · tuppence worth · smithereen · sprinkle · jot · atomy · dab · morceau · tidbit · scent · smidget · bissel · touch · iota · scooch · shred · speckle · ounce · smidgy · tittle · speck · tinge · inch · dash · spot · tidge · spark · hint · dusting · modicum · mite · relish · ooch · diddly · scrap · skosh · strain · trifle · crumb · soupçon · sliver · flip · smattering

Translations (77)

es gota (small fragment) · es pizca (small fragment) · da godbid (small fragment) · ca polsim (small fragment) · ru кусо́к (small fragment) · fi muru (small fragment) · ca mica (small fragment) · gl rafa (small fragment) · da stump (small fragment) · gl fronza (small fragment) · yol morsaale (small fragment) · fa تیکه (small fragment) · ar قَطْمَة (small fragment) · gl grena (small fragment) · ms cebis (small fragment) · mi horotai (small fragment) · mk трошка (small fragment) · nl stuk (small fragment) · vo beitil (small fragment) · tr parça (small fragment) · es porción (small fragment) · cs kousíček (small fragment) · pt porção (small fragment) · gl argallo (small fragment) · mk залак (small fragment) · pt mordida (small fragment) · ga blúire (small fragment) · hy կտոր (small fragment) · tr lokma (a mouthful of food) · mi motū (small fragment) · fa لقمه (small fragment) · mi whakapūwharu (small fragment) · gl comanada (small fragment) · mk залак (a mouthful of food) · nl hap (small fragment) · gl brisca (small fragment) · fi murunen (small fragment) · fr morceau (small fragment) · gl nisco (small fragment) · gl chisco (small fragment) · ca mos (small fragment) · ota پارچه (small fragment) · ca pessic (small fragment) · cs kousek (small fragment) · la mīca (small fragment) · nl brok (small fragment) · de Bissen (a mouthful of food) · sv smula (small fragment) · grc βλωμός (small fragment) · ru по́рция (small fragment) · af morsel (small fragment) · grc ἄκολος (small fragment) · de Happen (a mouthful of food) · da bid (small fragment) · cs sousto (small fragment) · grc ψωμός (small fragment) · gl ciballo (small fragment) · gl lisco (small fragment) · bg хапка (small fragment) · tr dilim (small fragment) · tr sokum (a mouthful of food) · mk ронка (small fragment) · de Happen (small fragment) · bg залък (small fragment) · fr morceau de nourriture (a mouthful of food) · ca gota (small fragment) · enm morsel (small fragment) · hi कौर (small fragment) · eo mordaĵo (a mouthful of food) · it boccone (small fragment) · pt gota (small fragment) · la frustum (small fragment) · ca mos (a mouthful of food) · fi pala (small fragment) · mk парченце (small fragment) · enm morsel (a mouthful of food) · gl gorispa (small fragment)

morsel en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɔɹsəl/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˈmɔːsəl/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English morsel, from Old French morsel, from Medieval Latin morsellum (“a bit, a little piece”), diminutive of Latin morsum (“a bit”), neuter of morsus, perfect passive participle of mordeo (“to bite”). Compare French morceau, whence the English doublet morceau.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To divide into small pieces.
2. (obsolete, rare, transitive) To feed with small pieces of food.

Forms

Synonyms

morselize