ATP

American  

[ey-tee-pee] / ˈeɪˈtiˈpi /

abbreviation

Biochemistry.

1. adenosine triphosphate: an ester of adenosine and triphosphoric acid, C 10 H 12 N 5 O 4 H 4 P 3 O 9 , formed especially aerobically by the reaction of ADP and an orthophosphate during oxidation, or by the interaction of ADP and phosphocreatine or certain other substrates, and serving as a source of energy for physiological reactions, especially muscle contraction.

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ATP ¹ British  

noun

1. adenosine triphosphate; a nucleotide found in the mitochondria of all plant and animal cells. It is the major source of energy for cellular reactions, this energy being released during its conversion to ADP. Formula: C 10 H 16 N 5 O 13 P 3

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ATP ² British  

abbreviation

1. advanced turboprop

2. Association of Tennis Professionals

3. automatic train protection: a safety system which automatically prevents a train from passing through a stop signal

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ATP Scientific  

/ ā′tē′pē′ /

1. Short for adenosine triphosphate. An organic compound, C ₁₀ H ₁₆ N ₅ O ₁₃ P ₃, that is composed of adenosine and three phosphate groups. It serves as a source of energy for many metabolic processes. ATP releases energy when it is broken down into ADP by hydrolysis during cell metabolism.

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ATP Cultural  

1. A key energy-carrying molecule in biological systems. It is produced in the body through the process of cell respiration and in plants through photosynthesis.

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Usage

What else does ATP mean? While it can stand for many things, the initialism ATP commonly stands for the Association of Tennis Professionals, the cell-powering chemical adenosine triphosphate, and at this point.

Etymology

Origin of ATP

First recorded in 1940–45

Compare meaning

How does atp compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ATP vs. ADP

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ATP

Jodar missed out on a second ATP title, after winning in Morocco in April.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Left-handed Draper, 24, has pulled out of the ATP Tour event in Washington, which was set to be his first appearance since ruling himself out of Wimbledon last month.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Zverev has denied these allegations, and an investigation by the ATP, the governing body of men’s tennis, found “insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

He arrived at Wimbledon with just one main-draw victory at a major, a losing record as a professional, and only one previous ATP quarterfinal, at Queen’s Club last month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

The charging of the battery, in which ADP and a free phosphate group are combined to restore ATP, is coupled to the oxidative process; the close linking is known as coupled phosphorylation.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson