acetate

noun

ac·​e·​tate ˈa-sə-ˌtāt 

1

: a salt or ester of acetic acid

2

: cellulose acetate

also : something (such as a textile fiber) made from cellulose acetate

3

: a phonograph recording disk made of an acetate or coated with cellulose acetate

Examples of acetate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And most crucially, perhaps, was my nose: bare, no longer horizontally bifurcated by a ridge of black acetate. —Alice Gregory, Vogue, 4 June 2025

The frame is crafted from premium acetate and features a trendy frame-in-frame design and a soft translucent hue. —Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025

Lowercase uses premium materials, like Italian and Japanese acetate that is hypo-allergenic and designed to adapt to one’s head shape overtime ensuring comfort and stainless steel for durability. —Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025

At the same time, fruity esters such as ethyl acetate and isoamyl acetate are released, which enhance wine’s aroma. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French acétate, from (acide) acétique acetic acid + -ate, -ate entry 1

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing acetate

• amyl acetate
• cellulose acetate
• ethyl acetate
• lead acetate
• medroxyprogesterone acetate
• methyl acetate
• polyvinyl acetate

Rhymes for acetate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

acetate

noun

ac·​e·​tate ˈas-ə-ˌtāt 

1

: a chemical compound formed by the reaction of acetic acid with another substance

2

: something made from acetate or from cellulose and acetate combined

Medical Definition

acetate

noun

ac·​e·​tate ˈas-ə-ˌtāt 

: a salt or ester of acetic acid