English edit

Etymology edit

methyl +‎ -ate

Verb edit

methylate (third-person singular simple present methylates, present participle methylating, simple past and past participle methylated)

  1. To add, or treat with methyl alcohol (see methylated spirits)
  2. (organic chemistry) To add a methyl group to a compound
  3. (biochemistry) To add a methyl group to a nucleic acid as part of the process of gene expression

Related terms edit

Noun edit

methylate (plural methylates)

  1. (chemistry) The anion -O-CH3- derived from methanol by loss of a proton; any salt containing this anion