folate
folate Lexical Profile
folate Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A naturally occurring water-soluble B vitamin (vitamin B9) found abundantly in leafy green vegetables, legumes, and liver, which is essential for DNA synthesis, cell division, and red blood cell formation.
"Doctors advise pregnant women to consume plenty of dark leafy greens rich in folate to support healthy fetal development."
Any salt, ester, or anionic form of folic acid.
"Biochemists measured the concentration of reduced folates within the cellular tissue."
Word Nuance & Usage
In nutrition and medicine, 'folate' generally refers to the naturally occurring forms of vitamin B9 found in foods, whereas 'folic acid' refers specifically to the synthetic form used in dietary supplements and fortified foods.
• Rhymes for folate
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-20th century from 'folic acid' plus the chemical suffix '-ate', ultimately deriving from the Latin 'folium' meaning 'leaf', because the vitamin was originally isolated from spinach leaves.