a fabric made from fibers of cellulose acetate
"She wore a stylish summer dress made entirely of breathable acetate that kept her cool in the heat."
Any salt or ester of acetic acid.
"The chemist synthesized a new polyester by reacting ethylene glycol with sodium acetate to form an ester of acetic acid."
The word comes from the Latin acētum, meaning "vinegar." It originally referred to something related to this sour liquid.