I. ˈfäˌsfāt, usu -ād.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, from phosphorique phosphoric (in acide phosphorique phosphoric acid) + -ate
1.
a. : a salt of a phosphoric acid classified often as primary, secondary, or tertiary according to the number of hydrogen atoms replaced in the acid ; especially : orthophosphate — called also inorganic phosphate ; see calcium phosphate , sodium phosphate
b. : an ester of a phosphoric acid that often plays an important role in metabolism — called also organic phosphate ; compare adenosine diphosphate , adenosine triphosphate , adenylic acid , glucose phosphate , nucleic acid , phosphoglyceric acid
c. : an organic compound of phosphoric acid in which the acid unit is bound to nitrogen (as in phosphocreatine) or to a carboxyl group (as in acetyl phosphate) in such a manner that useful energy is released on hydrolysis during metabolism — called also organic phosphate
2. : an effervescent drink of carbonated water with a small amount of phosphoric acid or of an acid phosphate of potassium, magnesium, sodium, or calcium or a mixture of them flavored with fruit syrup
orange phosphate
3. : a phosphatic material used for fertilizers — see superphosphate
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to treat with phosphoric acid or a phosphate (as in coating iron)
III. noun
: a trivalent anion PO 4 3- derived from phosphoric acid H 3 PO 4