From Latin rūminātio (“chewing the cud”); see ruminate.

• IPA^(key): /ˌɹuːmɪˈneɪʃən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

rumination (countable and uncountable, plural ruminations)

1. The act of ruminating; i.e. chewing cud.
2. (figuratively) Deep thought or consideration.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:consideration

   • 2025 July 3, Fred Garratt-Stanley, “Kae Tempest – ‘Self Titled’ review: an inspiring reflection on identity and self-discovery”, in NME:

     Amid these internal battles is a clear vision of the chaotic world outside, too; ‘Bless The Bold Future’ is a nuanced rumination on the dangers of bringing new life onto a planet in turmoil

3. (psychology) Negative cyclic thinking; persistent and recurrent worrying or brooding.
4. (pathology) An eating disorder characterized by repetitive regurgitation of small amounts of food from the stomach.

• rumination syndrome

• rumen
• ruminant
• ruminate
• ruminator

• “rumination”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “rumination”, in The Century Dictionary[…], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “rumination”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

From Latin rūminātiōnem (“chewing the cud”); see ruminer.

• IPA^(key): /ʁy.mi.na.sjɔ̃/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

rumination f (plural ruminations)

1. rumination (act of ruminating)

• “rumination”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012