phosphate
Americannoun
-
Chemistry.
-
(loosely) a salt or ester of phosphoric acid.
-
a tertiary salt of orthophosphoric acid, as sodium phosphate.
-
-
Agriculture. a fertilizing material containing compounds of phosphorus.
-
a carbonated drink of water and fruit syrup containing a little phosphoric acid.
noun
-
any salt or ester of any phosphoric acid, esp a salt of orthophosphoric acid
-
(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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Pacific Islands - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Spelling Practice 2, Unit 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 prices have also moved higher, though less dramatically, as exports from the Persian Gulf and the supply of sulfur—critical for phosphate production—have been disrupted.
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
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
Spanish apatite contains— Water 0·80 Phosphate of lime 93·30 Carbonate of lime 0·50 Chlorine, etc. traces Sand 4·70 ——— 99·30 Several other varieties of mineral phosphates have been imported under the name of guano.
From Elements of Agricultural Chemistry by Anderson, Thomas
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.
