carbonate
n.a chemical compound that contains carbon and oxygen. You often find these in rocks like limestone or in fizzy drinks.
n.a salt or ester of carbonic acid, containing the anion CO3 2−. Often refers to minerals found in the earth's crust or chemical additives in industrial processes.
“Calcium carbonate is the main ingredient in chalk.”
“The geologist identified the rock as a type of carbonate because it reacted with the acid solution.”
“The accumulation of marine organism shells on the ocean floor eventually forms thick layers of sedimentary carbonate rock over millions of years.”
Uncountable when referring to the chemical substance in general; countable when referring to specific chemical varieties or salts.
“When limestone is heated to about 1,380 degrees Fahrenheit (750 degrees Celsius), the calcium carbonate, which makes up most of the rock, decomposes, leaving solid calcium oxide and carbon dioxide gas.”
“When mixed with lime, blood proteins trigger a reaction that causes calcium carbonate to form around the pigment particles.”
Common in science and environment writing
From French carbonate, equivalent of carbon + -ate (“suffix used for salts of acids ending in -ic”).
From carbon + -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.