chelate

American  

[kee-leyt] / ˈki leɪt /

adjective

1. Chemistry.

   1. of or noting a heterocyclic compound having a central metallic ion attached by covalent bonds to two or more nonmetallic atoms in the same molecule.

   2. of or noting a compound having a cyclic structure resulting from the formation of one or more hydrogen bonds in the same molecule.

2. Zoology. having a chela or chelae.

---

noun

1. Chemistry. a chelate compound.

verb (used without object)

Chemistry.

chelated, chelating

1. (of a heterocyclic compound) to react to form a chelate.

2. (of a compound) to form a ring by forming one or more hydrogen bonds.

verb (used with object)

chelated, chelating

1. Chemistry. to combine (an organic compound) with a metallic ion to form a chelate.

chelate British  

/ ˈkiːleɪt /

noun

1. chem a coordination compound in which a metal atom or ion is bound to a ligand at two or more points on the ligand, so as to form a heterocyclic ring containing a metal atom

---

adjective

1. zoology of or possessing chelae

2. chem of or denoting a chelate

verb

1. (intr) chem to form a chelate

chelate Scientific  

/ kē′lāt′ /

1. A chemical compound in the form of a ring that contains a metal ion attached by coordinate bonds to at least two nonmetal ions. Many commercial dyes as well as important biological substances, such as chlorophyll and the heme of hemoglobin, are chelates.

---

Other Word Forms

• chelatable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of chelate

First recorded in 1820–30; chel(a) ¹ + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chelate chelated chelating

For example, it may be possible to chelate magnesium ions from bacterial environments, which should selectively inhibit resistant strains without impacting the wild type bacteria that may be beneficial to our health.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 16, 2024

Many polydentate ligands are chelating ligands, and a complex consisting of one or more of these ligands and a central metal is a chelate.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Figure 19.15 showed one example of a chelate.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Appendages of 2nd pair, with their basal segments uniting in the middle line below the mouth, weakly chelate at apex.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 "Apollodorus" to "Aral" by Various

The large chelate pedipalps are also prominently figured but the smaller walking legs are commonly omitted.

From Animal Figures in the Maya Codices by Tozzer, Alfred M. (Alfred Marston)

To try to manage the constipation, I started taking chelated magnesium every night before bed.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 13, 2024

For the former, Husain suggests spraying the leaves with chelated liquid iron; for the latter, epsom salt spray.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2022

Hot water, bleach, corn syrup, Epsom salt, Borax, chelated iron.

From Slate ● Dec. 19, 2018

Make sure the fertilizer is complete and has chelated iron.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2016

Williams eventually got "disability which covered the costs of her WD drugs…but only after her liver, kidneys & nervous system suffered without the copper chelating medicine," Lynda wrote.

From Fox News ● Nov. 18, 2021

They contain surfactants, which keep loosened soil suspended in water, and chelating agents, which keep mineral deposits from forming.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 13, 2020

A chelating ligand is also known as a chelating agent.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

The chelating films had picked up traces of gold, silver, lead, and arsenic everywhere they had been placed, at between three and nine times the levels found on the control.

From The New Yorker ● Nov. 19, 2018

“As I understand it, then,” said Major Grodski, “the antidote for the … uh … chelating agent is magnesium?”

From Cum Grano Salis by Garrett, Randall