'ascorbate' originates from Neo-Latin, specifically the word 'ascorbas'/'ascorbatum', where the prefix 'a-' meant 'not' (privative) and 'scorbutus' meant 'scurvy'.

'ascorbate' changed from Neo-Latin scientific usage (e.g. 'ascorbas', 'ascorbatum') formed in the early 20th century in chemical/medical nomenclature and was adopted into modern English as 'ascorbate' through scientific literature and chemical naming conventions.

Initially it referred to substances with antiscorbutic (scurvy-preventing) activity; over time the meaning narrowed to the chemical sense of 'a salt or ester of ascorbic acid' (vitamin C).