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formate

American

[fawr-meyt] / ˈfɔr meɪt /

noun

Chemistry.

a salt or ester of formic acid.

formate British

/ ˈfɔːmeɪt /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

formate Scientific

/ fôr′māt′ /

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

During fermentation, the microbes release acidic by products including acetate and formate.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

Transforming carbon dioxide into formate requires a catalyst, and that has been a major obstacle.

From Science Daily • Feb. 3, 2026

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

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2024

The stored formate particles are simply dissolved in water and pumped into the fuel cell as needed.

From Science Daily • Oct. 30, 2023

It may also be obtained, although only in small quantities, by the distillation of calcium formate.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023