Definition

1. Noun:

   • A salt or ester of citric acid: A chemical compound formed when citric acid reacts with a base (forming a salt) or an alcohol (forming an ester). Citrates are commonly found in nature and used in various industries.

2. Verb:

   • To cause to form a salt or ester of citric acid: The act of treating a substance with citric acid or its derivatives to produce a citrate compound. In medical contexts, it often refers to adding citrate to blood or other fluids to prevent coagulation.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Potassium citrate is sometimes used as a dietary supplement.
  • The beverage contains sodium citrate as a preservative and flavoring agent.

• Verb:

  • The laboratory technician will citrate the blood sample to keep it from clotting.
  • This process is designed to citrate the solution, stabilizing its pH.

Advanced Usage

• "Citrated" (Adjective): Describes a substance that has been treated with a citrate.
  • We used citrated plasma for the experiment.
• In Biochemistry: Citrate is a key intermediate in the Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle), central to cellular energy production.
  • The enzyme aconitase converts citrate to isocitrate.

Variants and Related Words

• Citric Acid (n): The weak organic acid from which citrates are derived.
• Citration (n): The process of adding citrate or forming a citrate.
• Trisodium Citrate (n): A specific, common citrate salt used in food and medicine.

Synonyms

• Salt of citric acid (for the noun form).
• Complex (in specific chemical contexts, e.g., ).

Related Phrases/Phrasal Verbs

(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs. Its usage is primarily technical and scientific.)

Related Idioms

(There are no common idioms featuring the word "citrate". Its use is confined to scientific, medical, and industrial terminology.)

Noun

1. a salt or ester of citric acid

Verb

1. cause to form a salt or ester of citric acid