Meanings
phosphonate1
nounphosphonate (plural phosphonates)
plural phosphonates
- chemistryAny salt or ester of a phosphonic acid; many of its derivatives have important biological activity.
phosphonate2
verbphosphonate (third-person singular simple present phosphonates, present participle phosphonating, simple past and past participle phosphonated)
present singular third person phosphonates · participle present phosphonating · participle past phosphonated · past phosphonated
- chemistryTo react with a phosphonic acid derivative.
Origin
phosphonate · verb
From phosphonic acid + -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish fosfonaatti
- fosfonaattichemistry: salt or ester of phosphonic acid
Polish fosfonian
- fosfonianchemistry: salt or ester of phosphonic acid
Cite this entry
APA
phosphonate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphonate
MLA
“phosphonate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphonate. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phosphonate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phosphonate.
Source: phosphonate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.