- a|te
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past tense of eat: »
Father ate his dinner an hour ago.
a|te2 «AY tee», noun.infatuation or mad impulse, sometimes personified, as in Greek drama.A|te «AY tee», noun.Greek Mythology. the goddess of recklessness and mischief, who incited men to rash deeds, later regarded as the goddess of punishment or revenge.-ate1,suffix forming adjectives, verbs, and nouns,1. of or having to do with _____: »Collegiate = having to do with college.
4. become _____: »Maturate = become mature.
5. cause to be _____: »Alienate = cause to be alien.
6. produce _____: »Ulcerate = produce ulcers.
7. supply or treat with _____: »Aerate = treat with air.
8. combine with _____: »Oxygenate = combine with oxygen.
╂[< Latin -ātus, past participle ending of verbs in -āre]Usage -ate1 is a living English suffix, chiefly replacing the -āre of Latin infinitives, as in assimilate from assimilāre, and the -ātus of Latin participial adjectives, as in foliate from foliātus.-ate2,suffix forming nouns. salt made from _____ic acid: »Sulfate = salt made from sulfuric acid.
╂[special use of -ate1]-ate3,suffix forming nouns. office, rule, or condition of _____: »Caliphate = rule of a caliph.
╂[< Latin -ātus, -ūs, an ending of 4th declension nouns]
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
