Word
ate
/ˈeɪt/
Definitions
01past tense of eat
A1 · Beginner
v. the past tense of eat. You use this to say you finished a meal in the past.
v. the simple past tense of the irregular verb 'eat'.
“We ate a large pizza for dinner last night.”
“The guests ate heartily during the reception, praising the chef for the diverse selection of local delicacies.”
Usage
Irregular past tense form of 'eat'.
Pitfall
I have ate my lunch already.
I have eaten my lunch already.
In standard English, 'ate' is the past tense, while 'eaten' is the past participle used with 'have'.
02older sister
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Dialect
n. a word used in the Philippines for an older sister or a slightly older woman.
n. a term of address or kinship title for an elder sister or an older female contemporary.
“My ate helped me with my homework after school.”
“In many Filipino households, the eldest daughter is addressed as 'Ate' as a sign of respect and familial hierarchy.”
Usage
Commonly used in Philippine English and Tagalog-speaking communities.
Teaching tip
This is a cultural loanword; outside of Filipino contexts, learners should use 'older sister' or 'ma'am'.
Synonyms
Etymology
Probably a remodelling of earlier eat by analogy with other strong verbs such as break:†brake, give:gave, speak:†spake; compare the same process in rare Middle English at (“ate”) besides more usual et. However, the pronunciation /ɛt/ likely continues Middle English et, from Old English ǣt, from Proto-West Germanic āt, from Proto-Germanic ēt, with shortening as in e.g. thread.
Borrowed from Tagalog ate (“elder sister”), from Hokkien 阿姊 (á-ché, “eldest sister”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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