phosphate
- noun
- /ˈfɑːsfeɪt/
- Archaic
:
refresco de fosfato
- At the diner, she ordered a fruity phosphate that reminded her of her childhood.
Examples
-
The menu featured various delightful treats, including a classic phosphate made with sweet fruit syrup.
-
She had grilled cheese and a chocolate phosphate.
Blog text (17) -
Glucose is turned into ethanol, but if glucose becomes scarce, the ethanol is turned into gluco-6-phosphate again.
Academic text (2008) -
On a hot summer day, I enjoyed a refreshing phosphate at the local soda fountain.
Compounds
- Specialized
1
4.2
A white salt found in bones and teeth that helps make them strong
- Specialized
1
3.7
A white salt used as a laxative and in cleaners, food processing, and water treatment
- Specialized
A substance in muscles that stores energy for short bursts of effort
- Specialized
A salt containing phosphorus but not carbon, found in living bodies, soil, or factories
- Specialized
A chemical in cells that helps make other molecules, for example during photosynthesis
- Specialized
A form of vitamin B6 that helps the body use small parts of protein and starch for energy
- Specialized
A form of vitamin B6 that helps the body use proteins and starch
- Specialized
A white chemical salt that softens water and helps remove dirt in detergents
- Specialized
A white powder that cleans heavy dirt and grease in soaps and cleaners
- Specialized
A hard paste used to fix metal crowns and as a base under fillings
Surface Forms
Morphology
phosphate = phosphorus (opaque) = phosph + ate
Although historically the drink name refers to phosphoric acid, the sense 'a sweet, carbonated soft drink' is a specialized, idiomatic commercial usage not predictable from the chemical parts.
Etymology
Phosphate as a drink was named after the small amount of phosphate, a salt of phosphorus, that soda makers added to give a sharp, tangy taste at old soda fountains. So a lemon or cherry phosphate is a fizzy drink whose bright flavor comes from that phosphate ingredient.