phosphate
Americannoun
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Chemistry.
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(loosely) a salt or ester of phosphoric acid.
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a tertiary salt of orthophosphoric acid, as sodium phosphate.
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Agriculture. a fertilizing material containing compounds of phosphorus.
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a carbonated drink of water and fruit syrup containing a little phosphoric acid.
noun
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any salt or ester of any phosphoric acid, esp a salt of orthophosphoric acid
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(often plural) any of several chemical fertilizers containing phosphorous compounds
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of phosphate
Vocabulary lists containing phosphate
Pacific Islands - Introductory
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Pacific Islands - Middle School and High School
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Spelling Practice 2, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Phosphate pollution can come from human sewage and animal waste.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
Phosphate mining and processing remain one of Tunisia's main natural resources.
From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025
Phosphate forms the "backbone" of RNA and DNA and is also a key component of cell membranes.
From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2024
Phosphate fertilizer is made from phosphate rock — a non-renewable resource which is rapidly depleting through agricultural use.
From Salon • Feb. 23, 2023
Sodium Phosphate, taken every morning, about one-half to one teaspoonful in hot water.
From Mother's Remedies Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of the United States and Canada by Ritter, Thomas Jefferson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
