Arsenate is a chemical anion or salt derived from arsenic acid, H3AsO4. It typically exists as AsO4^3− or in mineral and pharmaceutical contexts as a counterion. In chemistry and biochemistry, arsenates participate in reactions involving arsenate esters and can substitute for phosphate in some enzymatic processes, though they are toxic in high doses. It is pronounced with three syllables: AR-se-nate.
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US: rhotic, /ɑɹ/; UK: non-rhotic tendency, /ɑː/; AU: broad vowel in first syllable, /ˈɑː.sə.neɪt/. Vowel shifts: US /ɑɹ/ airier; UK /ɑː/ longer; AU /ɑː/ similar to UK but with slight drawl. Consonants: final /t/ crisp; avoid glottal stop before /t/ in casual speech. IPA helps you monitor rhoticity and vowel length.
"The arsenate ion is a common contaminant in groundwater."
"Researchers studied arsenate esters as potential biochemical probes."
"Some minerals contain arsenate groups integrated into their crystal lattices."
"The pH of the solution affects the speciation of arsenate in water."
Arsenate derives from arsenic’s chemical name, arsenic, via the Latin arsenticum and from the Greek arsenikon, with the suffix -ate indicating a salt or ester of the related acid. The element arsenic (from Latin arsenicum) was known in ancient times, but the chemical concept of arsenate as the oxoanion AsO4^3− emerged in the 19th century with the development of inorganic chemistry and acid-base theory. The root arsen- traces back to Greek arsenikon (“yellow pigment/arsenic”), though the exact origin of the term is debated; some scholars connect it to images of potent but elusive minerals. The -ate suffix is used across chemistry to denote a derived anion or a salt of an oxyacid (e.g., sulfate, nitrate, phosphate). First known uses of arsenate-containing minerals and salts appear in late 18th–19th century chemical literature as arsenate minerals were identified and arsenic-containing compounds were classified. In modern usage, arsenate is encountered in geology, toxicology, and biochemistry, often in the context of arsenic metabolism, environmental monitoring, and inorganic synthesis.
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Words that rhyme with "arsenate"
-ent sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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ARS-uh-nayt, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US / ˈɑr.sə.neɪt /; UK / ˈɑː.sə.neɪt /; AU / ˈɑː.sə.neɪt . Start with a strong 'ar' as in 'car', then a reduced schwa in the second syllable, and finish with a clear 'nayt' (n-eɪ-t). Mouth: open jaw for AR, relaxed middle, and a crisp dactyl-like nayt ending. Listen for the long A in the final syllable.
Common errors include misplacing stress (say ar-SEN-ate) and mispronouncing the final -ate as 'ate' with a short a. Correct by keeping the primary stress on the first syllable AR, ensuring the second syllable uses a neutral schwa (ə), and producing a clear long -eɪt for - nate. Another error is turning the second syllable into 'ars-EN-ate' with an emphasized e sound; maintain /sə/ (s-uh) before the final /neɪt/.
In US English you’ll hear /ˈɑr.sə.neɪt/ with a rhotic 'r' and a cross-continental /ə/ in the second syllable. UK English tends to reduce the middle vowel slightly and can have a less pronounced rhoticity in non-rhotic contexts but typically keeps /ˈɑː.sə.neɪt/. Australian English mirrors UK patterns but keeps a slightly broader vowel in the first syllable; final -ate remains /neɪt/. Overall, stress stays on the first syllable; vowel quality shifts are subtle rather than dramatic.
Difficulties stem from the three-syllable structure with a stressed initial syllable, the mid syllable with a reduced vowel /ə/, and the final /neɪt/ which demands a clean diphthong. Learners often misplace the stress or merge the middle syllable into a strong 'arn-sen-ate' pattern. Practicing the sequence AR-sə-nayt with slow, deliberate enunciation helps, as does listening to native science announcers and reproducing the long 'ayt' ending.
This term uniquely features the /ˈɑːr.sə.neɪt/ pattern with a clear first-syllable stress and a pronounced final -ate. It lacks silent letters and includes a distinct /n/ before the final /eɪt/. The middle syllable reduction to /sə/ is a key cue; many learners overemphasize the second syllable or shorten it, losing the natural rhythm. Focusing on the three-beat rhythm and the final long A sound makes your speech precise and scientific.
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