Metallate

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To chemically combine or treat a substance with a metal or metal ion to form a complex or compound; to incorporate metal atoms into an organic or inorganic framework through coordination or bonding; to facilitate metallation as a chemical process in synthesis or modification
2. The act of introducing or attaching metal elements into molecules or materials resulting in metal-containing complexes; the process of metal insertion that alters chemical properties or reactivity; the transformation involving metal coordination in chemical structures
3. To form a coordination compound by bonding metal ions to ligands within a molecule; to effectuate the substitution or addition of metal atoms into chemical compounds; to engage in the chemical synthesis step involving metal incorporation into organic or inorganic substrates

Etymology: "Metallate" is a plain formation: English took the noun "metal" and added the suffix "-ate," which in chemistry and in general English turns a noun into a verb meaning to treat or combine with that substance. The "metal" part traces back through Old French and Latin to the ancient Greek "métallon," a word for a mine or quarry, which gives a clue to how the idea of metal first took shape: the substance was defined by where it was dug out of the ground. The suffix has a longer pedigree than the word it sits on. "-ate" descends from Latin "-atus," a participle ending that spread into English through a steady stream of verbs such as "activate" and "fumigate," and its use here follows that familiar pattern. Because it attaches directly to a noun, the formation is simple, and its meaning is transparent: to give something a metallic coating or content.

Synonyms: metalize, metalise, metal complex formation