ate

1 of 6

past tense of eat

Ate

2 of 6

noun

: a Greek goddess personifying foolhardy and ruinous impulse

-ate

3 of 6

noun suffix (1)

1
: one acted upon (in a specified way)
distillate
2
[New Latin -atum, from Latin] : chemical compound or complex anion derived from a (specified) compound or element
phenolate
especially : salt or ester of an acid with a name ending in -ic and not beginning with hydro-
borate

-ate

4 of 6

noun suffix (2)

1
: office : function : rank : group of persons holding a (specified) office or rank or having a (specified) function
vicarate
2
: state : dominion : jurisdiction
emirate
khanate

-ate

5 of 6

adjective suffix

: marked by having
craniate

-ate

6 of 6

verb suffix

: act on (in a specified way)
insulate
: cause to be modified or affected by
camphorate
: cause to become
activate
: furnish with
capacitate

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Greek Atē

Noun suffix (1)

Middle English -at, from Anglo-French, from Latin -atus, -atum, masculine & neuter of -atus, past participle ending

Noun suffix (2)

Middle English -at, from Anglo-French, from Latin -atus, from -a-, stem vowel of 1st conjugation + -tus, suffix of verbal nouns

Adjective suffix

Middle English -at, from Latin -atus, from past participle ending of 1st conjugation verbs, from -a-, stem vowel of 1st conjugation + -tus, past participle suffix — more at -ed

Verb suffix

Middle English -aten, from Latin -atus, past participle ending

First Known Use

Noun

1583, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ate was in 1583

Dictionary Entries Near ate

Cite this Entry

“Ate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ate. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ate

1 of 4

past of eat

-ate

2 of 4 noun suffix
ət,
ˌāt
: office : function : rank : group of persons holding a specified office or rank

-ate

3 of 4 adjective suffix
: marked by having
chordate

-ate

4 of 4 verb suffix
ˌāt
1
: cause to be modified or affected by
hydrogenate
2
: cause to become
activate
3
: furnish with
aerate
Etymology

Noun suffix

derived from Latin -atus (noun suffix)

Adjective suffix

derived from Latin -atus (adjective suffix)

Verb suffix

derived from 2-ate

Medical Definition

ate

past of eat

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