formate

American  

[fawr-meyt] / ˈfɔr meɪt /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a salt or ester of formic acid.

---

formate British  

/ ˈfɔːmeɪt /

noun

1. any salt or ester of formic acid containing the ion HCOO ^– or the group HCOO–

---

formate Scientific  

/ fôr′māt′ /

1. A salt or ester of formic acid, containing the group HCOO.

---

Etymology

Origin of formate

First recorded in 1800–10; form(ic) + -ate ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

formate

Some gut bacteria can produce lactate and formate themselves, highlighting the importance of 'cross-feeding'.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 8, 2026

Formic acid, the protonated form of formate, is already manufactured at an industrial scale.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 3, 2026

Researchers say a cleaner alternative would be to produce formate directly from carbon dioxide in the air.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 3, 2026

This metabolism creates toxic by-products called formaldehyde, formate and formic acid.

From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2024

Subcultivate suspicious colonies on the various media, incubate anaerobically, making control cultivations on glucose formate agar, stab and streak, to incubate aerobically and carry out further inoculation experiments with the resulting growths.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by Eyre, J. W. H. (John William Henry)