-ate1
¦ suffix forming nouns:
1. denoting status or office: doctorate.
denoting a state or function: mandate.
2. denoting a group: electorate.
3. Chemistry denoting a salt or ester, especially of an acid with a corresponding name ending in -ic: chlorate.
4. denoting a product of a chemical process: condensate.
Origin
from OFr. -at or L. -atus, -ata, -atum.
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-ate2
¦ suffix
1. forming adjectives and nouns such as associate.
2. forming adjectives from Latin: caudate.
Origin
from L. -atus, -ata, -atum.
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-ate3
¦ suffix forming verbs such as fascinate.
Origin
from
-ate2; orig. on the basis of past participial adjectives ending in
-atus, later extended to Latin verbs ending in
-are and French verbs ending in
-er.