phosphate

== English == === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfɒsfeɪt/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈfɑsfeɪt/ === Etymology 1 === From French phosphate. By surface analysis, phosphoric acid +‎ -ate (“salt or ester”). ==== Noun ==== phosphate (countable and uncountable, plural phosphates) (chemistry) Any salt or ester of phosphoric acid. (agriculture) Any fertiliser containing phosphate compounds. Guano (containing high levels of phosphates and harvested for the fertiliser industry). (US, regional, dated) A carbonated soft drink containing phosphoric acid, often flavored with a fruit-based syrup. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From phosphoric acid + -ate (verb-forming suffix). ==== Verb ==== phosphate (third-person singular simple present phosphates, present participle phosphating, simple past and past participle phosphated) (transitive) To treat or coat with a phosphate or phosphoric acid. ===== Translations ===== == French == === Etymology === From phosphore +‎ -ate. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fɔs.fat/ === Noun === phosphate m (plural phosphates) phosphate ==== Descendants ==== → English: phosphate → Portuguese: fosfato === Further reading === “phosphate”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012