ATP

[ ey-tee-pee ]

abbreviation, nounBiochemistry.
  1. adenosine triphosphate: an ester of adenosine and triphosphoric acid, C10H12N5O4H4P3O9, formed especially aerobically by the reaction of ADP and an orthophosphate during oxidation, or by the interaction of ADP and phosphocreatine or certain other substrates, and serving as a source of energy for physiological reactions, especially muscle contraction.

Origin of ATP

1
First recorded in 1940–45

Words Nearby ATP

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How to use ATP in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ATP (1 of 2)

ATP1

noun
  1. adenosine triphosphate; a nucleotide found in the mitochondria of all plant and animal cells. It is the major source of energy for cellular reactions, this energy being released during its conversion to ADP. Formula: C 10 H 16 N 5 O 13 P 3

British Dictionary definitions for ATP (2 of 2)

ATP2

abbreviation for
  1. advanced turboprop

  2. Association of Tennis Professionals

  1. automatic train protection: a safety system which automatically prevents a train from passing through a stop signal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for ATP

ATP

[ ā′tē′pē ]


  1. Short for adenosine triphosphate. An organic compound, C10H16N5O13P3, that is composed of adenosine and three phosphate groups. It serves as a source of energy for many metabolic processes. ATP releases energy when it is broken down into ADP by hydrolysis during cell metabolism.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for ATP

ATP

A key energy-carrying molecule in biological systems. It is produced in the body through the process of cell respiration and in plants through photosynthesis.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.