noun
: any of several esters that are obtained by the partial or complete acetylation of cellulose (as cotton linters or wood) usually with acetic anhydride, acetic acid, and concentrated sulfuric acid, that are soluble in acetone, thermoplastic, and less flammable than cellulose nitrates, and that are used chiefly in making acetate fibers and tough plastics (as films, molded articles, and foamed insulation) — called also acetate