phosphate

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a salt or ester of phosphoric acid

   Calcium phosphate is an important mineral in bones and teeth.

2. 2
   noun

   a fertilizer or mineral material containing phosphate compounds

   The farmer applied phosphate to soil that was deficient in phosphorus.

Borrowed from French phosphate, formed from phosphore ("phosphorus") and -ate. Phosphorus ultimately comes from Greek phosphoros ("light-bearing"), from phos ("light") and pherein ("to carry").

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