carbonate

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a salt or ester of carbonic acid, typically containing the carbonate ion CO3^2-

   The limestone consists mainly of calcium carbonate.

2. 2
   verb

   to dissolve carbon dioxide in a liquid, especially to make a drink fizzy

   The machine carbonates the water just before it is bottled.

3. 3
   verb

   to convert a substance into a carbonate

   Exposure to carbon dioxide can slowly carbonate the surface of concrete.

Common collocations

• lithium carbonate Noun + noun
• calcium carbonate Noun + noun

Borrowed from French carbonate, formed from carbone ("carbon") + -ate, the chemical suffix used for salts of acids ending in -ic. The noun names salts or esters of carbonic acid. The verb developed from treating a substance with carbon dioxide or converting it into a carbonate, hence carbonated drinks.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images