carbonate

Forms

carbonate m (plural carbonates)^[1]

Etymology

It is from French carbone + -ate, one of the words of the new chemical nomenclature of 1787 by Guyton de Morveau, Lavoisier and their colleagues.^[2][3][1][4] carbone is from Latin carbō (“charcoal”), the source also of the inherited charbon.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1787 in Guyton de Morveau's Nomenclature chimique, for a salt of carbonic acid.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Littré defines carbonates as the salts formed when carbonic acid combines with bases.^[6] The word produced a family of chemical terms: carbonaté (1801), hydrocarbonate (1809), carbonater (1845), which in turn gave carbonatation (1874) and carbonateur (1886).^[4] In mineralogy it names the minerals built on the carbonate ion, such as calcite, aragonite and dolomite.^[7]

Timeline

• 1787 – Guyton de Morveau's chemical nomenclature introduces it, with carbonique.^[2][4]
• 1801 – The adjective carbonaté is recorded.^[4]
• 1809 – Hydrocarbonate is recorded.^[4]
• 1845 – The verb carbonater is recorded.^[4]
• 1870 – Mérimée writes of a pinch of carbonate de soude in the teapot.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) A salt or ester of carbonic acid: carbonate de calcium, carbonate de sodium.^[2][8][9]
2. (mineralogy) A mineral containing the carbonate ion, such as calcite.^[7][8]

Word family

• bicarbonate
• hydrocarbonate
• carbonaté
• carbonater
• carbonatation

Related words

• carbone
• carbonique
• charbon
• Latin carbō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale