pyrophosphate

American  

[pahy-ruh-fos-feyt] / ˌpaɪ rəˈfɒs feɪt /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a salt or ester of pyrophosphoric acid.

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pyrophosphate British  

/ ˌpaɪrəʊˈfɒsfeɪt /

noun

1. any salt or ester of pyrophosphoric acid

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pyrophosphate Scientific  

/ pī′rə-fŏs′fāt′ /

1. A salt or ester of pyrophosphoric acid, containing the group P ₂ O ₇.

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Etymology

Origin of pyrophosphate

First recorded in 1830–40; pyrophosph(oric acid) + -ate ²

Example Sentences

Phosphorylation is the breakdown of a pyrophosphate molecule which gives phosphate ions.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

McDonald’s fries have a whopping 19 ingredients—including sodium acid pyrophosphate, which keeps the fries’ color from getting dull.

From Slate • Jul. 7, 2016

It then attaches the new base to the end of the growing RNA strand and releases two of the phosphates into the surrounding solution as a free pyrophosphate ion.

From Scientific American • Jun. 1, 2011

At equilibrium, forward and backward steps would occur with equal frequency; normally other metabolic processes drive the reaction forward by removing pyrophosphate and supplying the four kinds of nucleoside triphosphate.

From Scientific American • Jun. 1, 2011

The precipitate is washed with dilute ammonia, dried, ignited, and weighed as pyrophosphate.

From A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines. by Beringer, Cornelius