-ate

suffix

Etymology

See Etymology 1. In Middle English, verbs were derived from Latin-borrowed participial adjectives (also used as their past participles) and formed their infinitives in -aten (see -en; Middle English desolaten for modern desolate). In the 15th century, the loss of most verbal morphology made verbs formally identical to adjectives. This led to the heteronymy of Middle English verbs in -aten with their corresponding past participles, numerous adjectives in -ate being used as verbs, and, in the late 16th century, the systematic borrowing of such Latin participles as English verbs. The sheer number of newly borrowed verbs from Latin ending in -ate later gave rise to -ate's productivity as a verbal suffix. further etymology The same process also led to the systematic borrowing of Latin perfect passive participle of other kinds as English verbs. See dissect, delete, erase, applause (when older applaud) and exhaust: all borrowed from Latin participial stems of diverse conjugation groups. Compare also Basque -tu for similar development.

borrowed from -ātus

Definitions

1
forms adjectives with meaning "having the specified thing"
- lobate — “having lobes, lobed”
2
forms adjectives with meaning "characterized by the specified thing"
- Italianate — “characterized by Italian features”
3
forms adjectives with meaning "resembling the specified thing"
- palmate — “resembling a palm leaf”
›+ 12 more definitionsshow fewer
1. up until Early Modern English, formed regular past participles of verbs ending in -ate.…
  up until Early Modern English, formed regular past participles of verbs ending in -ate. Rare afterwards except in archaizing poetry or religious writing. The alternative ending -ated was used from as early as Middle English
2. 5
  derives verbs (mostly) from Latin stems
  - formulate ← fōrmula
  - phonate ← φωνή (phōnḗ)
3. 6
  forms nouns meaning "person or thing that is either the object of a performed transitive…
  forms nouns meaning "person or thing that is either the object of a performed transitive verb or the subject of an intransitive one"
  - affiliate — “a person having been affiliated; literally, affiliated”
  - diffus(e) + -ate → diffusate (“in a process of dialysis, material that has diffused”)
4. 7
  forms nouns meaning "person or thing that is the subject of a transitive verb"
  - assassin + -ate → assassinate (“an assassin”)
5. 8
  forms nouns meaning "specimen of a corresponding taxon ending in -ata"
  - articulate — “An animal of the taxon Articulata”
6. 9
  forms derivatives of specified elements or compounds
  forms derivatives of specified elements or compounds; especially salts or esters of an acid whose name ends in -ic
  - acetate — “a salt or ester of acetic acid”
7. 10
  forms nouns denoting a rank or office
  - emirate — “the office of an emir”
8. 11
  forms nouns denoting the concrete charge, context of a rank or office
  - emirate — “the realm of an emir”
9. 12
  forms nouns denoting a group of officials associated with a rank or office
  - triumvirate — “an official group of three men, triumvirs”
10. 13
  forms nouns denoting a social or political system ruled by people or someone of a certain…
  forms nouns denoting a social or political system ruled by people or someone of a certain rank or office
  - patriarchate — “a social system in which heads of household (patriarchs) hold the power”
11. 14
  forms nouns denoting a state (government) ruled by people or someone of a certain rank or…
  forms nouns denoting a state (government) ruled by people or someone of a certain rank or office
  - emirate — “a state ruled by an emir”
12. 15
  forms nouns denoting a state associated with one's social situation
  - celibate — “the state of being a bachelor, celibacy”

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for -ate. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA