sulfate
Americannoun
-
sulfates
plural
verb (used with object)
-
to combine, treat, or impregnate with sulfuric acid, a sulfate, or sulfates.
-
to convert into a sulfate.
-
Electricity. to form a deposit of lead-sulfate compound on (the lead electrodes of a storage battery).
verb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sulfate
From the New Latin word sulphātum, dating back to 1780–90. See sulfur, -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.
See Examples For:
In the past, diesel fuel was poured around the bases of the trees, and grounds staff said last month that they suspected copper sulfate was dumped into the holes drilled near the roots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
The ban sent mining firms scrambling to build plants to process lithium sulfate, a step along the value chain towards battery‑grade materials.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Sulfur is abundant on Mars and commonly combines with other elements to create sulfate minerals.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026
The newly identified ferric hydroxysulfate has a crystal structure similar to szomolnokite, a monohydrated ferrous sulfate.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026
The treatment is bed rest, which he desperately needs anyway, injections of zinc sulfate, and quinine tablets.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
The area lies within a layer of Mount Sharp rich in salty minerals known as sulfates.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2026
In one chaos terrain that formed within an ancient impact crater, the uppermost layers contain polyhydrated sulfates.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026
As the water evaporated, it left layered deposits of iron and magnesium sulfates that provide evidence of a much wetter Mars in the past.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026
The findings indicate that volcanic heat at the Juventae Plateau and geothermal energy beneath Aram Chaos could convert common hydrated sulfates into ferric hydroxysulfate.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026
This was due to the fact that earlier studies took account only of the sulfur which, on analysis, appeared as sulfates in the ash.
From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher
And even if your diploma is written in Latin it is likely to be made of sulfated cellulose.
From Creative Chemistry Descriptive of Recent Achievements in the Chemical Industries by Edwin E. Slosson
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