1. Forming verbs:
* To make or cause to be: This is the most common use of "-ate".
* Activate: to make something active
* Educate: to teach someone
* Refrigerate: to make something cold
* Celebrate: to mark an occasion with festivities
2. Forming nouns:
* A salt of an acid: This is used in chemistry.
* Sulfate: a salt of sulfuric acid
* Nitrate: a salt of nitric acid
* Carbonate: a salt of carbonic acid
3. Forming adjectives:
* Having the quality of: This is less common but can occur in some words.
* Accurate: having a high degree of accuracy
* Intimate: characterized by closeness or familiarity
4. Forming other nouns:
* A person or thing associated with something:
* Candidate: a person nominated for an office or position
* Advocate: a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause
It's important to note: The meaning of "-ate" is often determined by the specific word it is attached to.