noun
sulfate
SUHL-fayt
noun
1
A salt or ester of sulfuric acid.
"Magnesium sulfate is commonly known as Epsom salt."
verb
1
To treat a substance with sulfuric acid or a sulfate compound.
"The battery plates had begun to sulfate after years of neglect."
How to Use Sulfate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA chemical compound formed from sulfuric acid, common in fertilizers, detergents, and shampoos.
UK vs US
Also spelled "sulphate" in British English, though "sulfate" is now the standard scientific spelling worldwide.
Common pairings
sodium lauryl sulfate
copper sulfate
sulfate-free shampoo
Word Forms
sulfated past tense, sulfates plural, sulfates singular
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Magnesium _____ is commonly known as Epsom salt.
Etymology
From French sulfate, coined in 1787 by chemist Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau from Latin sulphur.