metate

[ muh-tah-tee; Spanish me-tah-te ]

/ məˈtɑ ti; Spanish mɛˈtɑ tɛ /

a flat stone that has a shallow depression in the upper surface for holding maize or other grains to be ground with a mano.

Origin of metate

1825–35, Americanism; < Mexican Spanish < Nahuatl metlatl

The function of these primitive mills is to grind, necessitating a rough contact between the surface of the mano and the metate.

The Topanga Culture Final Report on Excavations, 1948 |A. E. Treganza
Being an Indian she quite cheerfully went back to pounding acorns in a metate.

The Killer |Stewart Edward White
Their cooking-utensils consist of the metate, pots made of earthenware, and gourds.

The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Volume 1 |Hubert Howe Bancroft
It caused them great difficulty in walking, and they could not kneel down at the metate with it.

Unknown Mexico, Volume 1 (of 2) |Carl Lumholtz

Others grind cassava or maize on the metate, and bake tortillas.

The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Volume 1 |Hubert Howe Bancroft