View synonyms for -ate

-ate

a suffix occurring in loanwords from Latin, its English distribution paralleling that of Latin. The form originated as a suffix added to a- stem verbs to form adjectives ( separate ). The resulting form could also be used independently as a noun ( advocate ) and came to be used as a stem on which a verb could be formed ( separate; advocate; agitate ). In English the use as a verbal suffix has been extended to stems of non-Latin origin: calibrate; acierate .

-ate

a specialization of -ate ¹, used to indicate a salt of an acid ending in -ic , added to a form of the stem of the element or group: nitrate; sulfate .

-ate

a suffix occurring originally in nouns borrowed from Latin, and in English coinages from Latin bases, that denote offices or functions ( consulate; triumvirate; pontificate ), as well as institutions or collective bodies ( electorate; senate ); sometimes extended to denote a person who exercises such a function ( magistrate; potentate ), an associated place ( consulate ), or a period of office or rule ( protectorate ). Joined to stems of any origin, ate3 signifies the office, term of office, or territory of a ruler or official ( caliphate; khanate; shogunate ).

ate

⁴

[ eyt; British et ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb

simple past tense of eat.

Ate

⁵

[ ey-tee, ah-tee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an ancient Greek goddess personifying the fatal blindness or recklessness that produces crime and the divine punishment that follows it.

ATE

⁶

equipment that makes a series of tests automatically.

-ate

suffix

forming adjectives possessing; having the appearance or characteristics of
Latinate
palmate
fortunate
forming nouns a chemical compound, esp a salt or ester of an acid
carbonate
stearate
forming nouns the product of a process
condensate
forming verbs from nouns and adjectives
rusticate
hyphenate

Ate

/ ˈɑːtɪ; ˈeɪtɪ /

noun

Greek myth a goddess who makes men blind so that they will blunder into guilty acts

-ate

suffix forming nouns

denoting office, rank, or a group having a certain function
electorate
episcopate

ate

⁴

/ eɪt; ɛt /

verb

the past tense of eat

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Word History and Origins

Origin of -ate¹

< Latin -ātus (masculine), -āta (feminine), -ātum (neuter), equivalent to -ā- thematic vowel + -tus, -ta, -tum past participle suffix

Origin of -ate²

Probably originally in New Latin phrases, as plumbum acetātum salt produced by the action of acetic acid on lead

Origin of -ate³

< Latin -ātus (genitive -ātūs ), generalized from v. derivatives, as augurātus office of an augur ( augurā(re) to foretell by augury + -tus suffix of v. action), construed as derivative of augur augur ¹

Origin of -ate⁴

< Greek, special use of átē reckless impulse, ruin, akin to aáein to mislead, harm

Origin of -ate⁵

a(utomatic) t(est) e(quipment)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of -ate¹

from Latin -ātus, past participial ending of verbs ending in -āre

Origin of -ate²

C16: via Latin from Greek atē a rash impulse

Origin of -ate³

from Latin -ātus, suffix (fourth declension) of collective nouns

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Example Sentences

What Trump did was to brag constantly, and the media ate it up, producing the illusion of much better performance than actually occurred.

From Salon

Afterward, everyone headed over to a nearby bar where they danced, celebrated and ate kabobs.

From Los Angeles Times

I don’t even remember what we ate.

From Los Angeles Times

A British teenager has been left in a serious condition after being hit by a paraglider while she ate a meal with her family on holiday.

From BBC

Sleightholme ate into the Wallabies' lead, latching on to Smith’s smart kick to make it 28-23, before the Harlequins man, moved to full-back by the introduction of George Ford, dropped a shoulder and darted deep into Australia territory 10 minutes later.

From BBC

Related Words

at-desk at each other's throats

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