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  

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 ² 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 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

Parmesan has notably sponsored the Utah Jazz basketball team and the ATP tennis tournament in Miami at great expense.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

For tennis fans deciding which stop on the ATP tour would be worth the trip, it can’t get much better than the clay courts of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on the French Riviera.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

The study was led by the University of Minnesota's Katie Cullen MD, and the imaging method used to measure ATP production in the brain was developed by Professors Xiao Hong Zhu and Wei Chen.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

Fritz also qualified for the ATP Finals for a third straight year, reinforcing his belief that he remains among the game’s elite.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

So another cycle takes place — a cycle within a cycle: a molecule of ATP gives up one of its phosphate groups and retains only two, becoming a diphosphate molecule, ADP.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson