citrate

Forms

citrate m (plural citrates)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin citrus (“citron tree”), a learned formation on its stem with the chemical suffix -ate, coined in 1782 by Guyton de Morveau together with citrique.^[2][3][4][5] The Wiktionnaire instead derives it from the adjective with the same suffix.^[6] Picoche puts the Latin word, which also named the thuja, in the family of cedrus (“cedar”), borrowed from Greek; citron and citrouille belong to the same family.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1782 in Guyton de Morveau's memoir on chemical names, for a salt of citric acid.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Littré defines it as a salt formed when citric acid combines with a base;^[8] modern dictionaries add the esters of the acid.^[9][10] The radical citr- served from then on to form chemical names, such as citrique and citral.^[7][5] In 20th-century photography, papers coated with a citrate gave a directly visible image.^[2]

Timeline

• 1782 – Guyton de Morveau introduces citrate and citrique.^[2][3][5]
• 1945 – A photography handbook describes citrate papers.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) A salt or ester of citric acid: citrate de sodium, citrate de calcium.^{[2][11][9][10]}

Related words

• citrique
• citron
• citrin
• Latin citrus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
7. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert