Function: noun suffix
Etymology: Middle English -at, from Anglo-French, from Latin -atus, -atum, masculine & neuter of -atus, past participle ending
1 : one acted upon (in a specified way) <distill ate >
2 [New Latin -atum, from L] : chemical compound or complex anion derived from a (specified) compound or element <phenol ate > especially : salt or ester of an acid with a name ending in -ic and not beginning with hydro- <bor ate >