chelate

verb/ˈkiːleɪt/

Frequency rank: #19,778 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

To bind a metal ion by forming a stable ring structure with a chelating agent.

Illustration for the English word “chelate”

Example sentence

The chemist used a special compound to chelate the heavy metals and remove them from the water supply.

Synonyms & related words

More words in ranks 19,701–19,800