means To chew food steadily and audibly, often with relish or in casual snacking.

from A word born from the mouth itself — likely imitative, echoing the noise of chewing, much like 'crunch' and 'cr_munch.' It surfaces in late Middle English, possibly nudged along by Old French 'mangier' (to eat), the same root that feeds 'manger' and 'mangia.' But its real parent is the sound: the jaw doing the talking.