Dictionary

phthalate en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈ(f)θa.leɪt/ (UK)
• /ˈ(f)θæ.leɪt/ (US)
• (UK) audio

Etymology

From phthal(ic) + -ate (“salt or ester”), short for obsolete naphthalic acid, from naphthalene.

Meanings

1. Any salt or ester of a phthalic acid.
   • Researchers investigating levels of phthalates in the human body, which have been linked to asthma, breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and fertility issues in the past few years, were found to be nearly 35% higher in participants who had eaten out the previous day compared with those who stayed at home. 2018 March 29, Patrick Greenfield, “Eating out increases levels of phthalates in the body, study finds”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 05 Aug 2020:
   • Even as FDA works to develop that plan, consumers continue to be exposed to unsafe food chemicals including not just dyes but also the artificial sweetener aspartame, the white pigment titanium dioxide, the preservative propylparaben, and the phthalate food packaging chemicals, according to CSPI. 2025 January 15, “FDA moves to eliminate carcinogenic Red 3 from foods”, in Center for Science in the Public Interest, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2025:

Forms

Deriveds

dibutylphthalate · polyphthalate · di-n-octyl phthalate · diisononyl phthalate · dioctyl phthalate · isophthalate · di-isononyl phthalate · dibutyl phthalate · biphthalate · glycerine phthalate · di-isodecyl phthalate · tetraphthalate · di-2-ethylhexylphlatate · diethyl phthalate

Translations (15)

ms ftalat (salt or ester) · af ftalaat (salt or ester) · ro ftalat (salt or ester) · pt ftalato (salt or ester) · cmn 鄰苯二甲酸酯 /邻苯二甲酸酯 (salt or ester) · es ftalato (salt or ester) · hi व्युत्तैलीय (salt or ester) · pl ftalan (salt or ester) · fi ftalaatti (salt or ester) · hu ftalát (salt or ester) · it ftalato (salt or ester) · fr phtalate (salt or ester) · de Phthalat (salt or ester) · nl ftalaat (salt or ester) · sv ftalat (salt or ester)