ate

1 of 6

past tense of eat

Ate

2 of 6

noun

ˈä-tē  ˈā-(ˌ)tē 

ˈä-ˌtā

: a Greek goddess personifying foolhardy and ruinous impulse

-ate

3 of 6

noun suffix (1)

1

: one acted upon (in a specified way)

distillate

2

[New Latin -atum, from Latin] : chemical compound or complex anion derived from a (specified) compound or element

phenolate

especially : salt or ester of an acid with a name ending in -ic and not beginning with hydro-

borate

-ate

4 of 6

noun suffix (2)

1

: office : function : rank : group of persons holding a (specified) office or rank or having a (specified) function

vicarate

2

: state : dominion : jurisdiction

emirate

khanate

-ate

5 of 6

adjective suffix

: marked by having

craniate

-ate

6 of 6

verb suffix

: act on (in a specified way)

insulate

: cause to be modified or affected by

camphorate

: cause to become

activate

: furnish with

capacitate

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Greek Atē

Noun suffix (1)

Middle English -at, from Anglo-French, from Latin -atus, -atum, masculine & neuter of -atus, past participle ending

Noun suffix (2)

Middle English -at, from Anglo-French, from Latin -atus, from -a-, stem vowel of 1st conjugation + -tus, suffix of verbal nouns

Adjective suffix

Middle English -at, from Latin -atus, from past participle ending of 1st conjugation verbs, from -a-, stem vowel of 1st conjugation + -tus, past participle suffix — more at -ed

Verb suffix

Middle English -aten, from Latin -atus, past participle ending

First Known Use

Noun

1583, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ate

1 of 4

past of eat

-ate

2 of 4 noun suffix

ət,

ˌāt

: office : function : rank : group of persons holding a specified office or rank

-ate

3 of 4 adjective suffix

: marked by having

chordate

-ate

4 of 4 verb suffix

ˌāt

1

: cause to be modified or affected by

hydrogenate

2

: cause to become

activate

3

: furnish with

aerate

Etymology

Noun suffix

derived from Latin -atus (noun suffix)

Adjective suffix

derived from Latin -atus (adjective suffix)

Verb suffix

derived from ²-ate

Medical Definition

ate

past of eat