Word
sulfate
Phoneticssul·fate
US/ˈsəɫˌfeɪt/
UK/sˈʌlfeɪt/
UK spelling · sulphate
Definitions
01chemical compound
n. a chemical substance that contains sulfur and oxygen, often found in nature or used in products like shampoo.
n. any salt or ester of sulfuric acid, characterized by the presence of the SO₄²⁻ group.
“Many people prefer to buy shampoo that does not contain any sulfate.”
“The laboratory analysis confirmed high concentrations of magnesium sulfate in the soil samples collected from the industrial site.”
Technical
Synonyms
02to treat with chemicals
v. to treat a material with sulfuric acid or a similar chemical.
v. to treat or combine a substance with sulfuric acid, a sulfate, or sulfur dioxide.
“The manufacturer decided to sulfate the wood to make it more durable.”
“Engineers must carefully monitor the temperature when they sulfate the organic compounds to ensure the reaction remains stable.”
Technical · American English
Usage
This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
03battery buildup
v. when lead sulfate builds up inside a battery, which can stop it from working.
v. to accumulate a deposit of lead sulfate on the plates of a lead-acid battery, typically reducing its efficiency.
“If you leave the car battery empty for too long, the plates will sulfate.”
“The technician explained that the battery failed because the internal plates had begun to sulfate after months of deep discharge.”
Technical
Usage
Often used in the context of battery maintenance and failure.
Real-World Examples
“As the eruption eventually begins to weaken, sulphur dioxide high in the atmosphere forms sunlight-reflecting sulfate aerosols that spread around the northern hemisphere to influence the world’s climate for several years.” “Burning coal and oil releases sulphur dioxide, which forms tiny particles known as sulphate aerosols.” Etymology
From French sulfate, from New Latin sulphatum, taken from the expression acidum sulphatum (“sulfuric acid”), from sulphatus, from Latin sulphur (“sulfur”). The term was first used in 1787 by the French chemist L. B. G. De Morveau. Equivalent to sulf(ur) + -ate (“salt or ester”).
From the above noun, through -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
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