ATP

American  

[ey-tee-pee] / ˈeɪˈtiˈpi /

abbreviation

Biochemistry.

1. adenosine triphosphate: an ester of adenosine and triphosphoric acid, C 10 H 12 N 5 O 4 H 4 P 3 O 9 , 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.

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ATP ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. advanced turboprop

2. Association of Tennis Professionals

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

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ATP ² British  

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

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ATP Scientific  

/ ā′tē′pē′ /

1. Short for adenosine triphosphate. An organic compound, C ₁₀ H ₁₆ N ₅ O ₁₃ P ₃, 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.

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ATP Cultural  

1. 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.

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Usage

What else does ATP mean? While it can stand for many things, the initialism ATP commonly stands for the Association of Tennis Professionals, the cell-powering chemical adenosine triphosphate, and at this point.

Etymology

Origin of ATP

First recorded in 1940–45

Compare meaning

How does atp compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ATP vs. ADP

Example Sentences

Another shaky service game from the Spaniard gave Sinner another break point, and from there he made no mistake, quickly wrapping up his 27th ATP Tour victory.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Buoyed by that narrow escape, Paul then held to love to go 6-5 up, and suddenly the pressure was all on the 24-year-old from Buenos Aires, playing in his first ATP final.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

The 24-year-old is aiming to become just the third man - after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - to capture all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

The study was led by the University of Minnesota's Katie Cullen MD, and the imaging method used to measure ATP production in the brain was developed by Professors Xiao Hong Zhu and Wei Chen.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

Whether the sperm cell will reach and penetrate the egg depends upon its own supply of ATP, generated in the mitochondria thickly clustered in the neck of the cell.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson