formate

noun

for·​mate ˈfȯr-ˌmāt 

: a salt or ester of formic acid

Examples of formate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Formic acid and formate can also reduce the pH level of blood, harming tissue throughout the body and leading to organ failure. —Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

However, methanol becomes formaldehyde—a cancer-causing chemical used in industrial glues and embalming corpses—and formate, or formic acid, which is a strong and toxic acid. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024

But if that is the case, why didn't the lead formate disappear in The Night Watch? —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 July 2024

Continued abiotic reactions with formate could produce larger organic compounds like amino acids, which can be strung together into molecules essential for life, such as enzymes and other proteins. —Quanta Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024

This revealed the presence of the lead formates—surprising in itself, but the team also identified those formates in areas where there was no lead pigment, white, or yellow. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 15 Dec. 2023

Early analyses also suggest that the small organic acid formate is present in the borehole water. —Quanta Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024

Then the researchers evaporate the liquid under sunlight, leaving solid formate crystals, which are easy to store. —IEEE Spectrum, 7 Nov. 2023

The collaborative shoe collection features the RS-XL, which comes in three versions of a different mixtape formate—cassettes, CD, and playlists. —Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1807, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

formate

noun

for·​mate ˈfȯ(ə)r-ˌmāt 

: a salt or ester of formic acid