What Does The Suffix "Ate" Mean?

I'm not even going to venture a guess as to what this has to do with dogs but hey, what do I know??!!! The suffix -ate has three applications. 1) noun: It means state, office, or function. Two examples would be candidate and delegate. 2) verb: It means cause to be. Two examples would be graduate and amputate. 3) adjective: It means kind of state. An example is inviolate. my source: Prefixsuffix.com

The suffix that means to eat

The suffix 'ate' can trace its origin in the Latin language and it is used with a kind of words that are being taken from the Latin language. The form is mainly used with the verbs to form their adjectives and you can find numerous words that have used the term as their suffix. The words advocate, separate and agitate are formed with the use of this very suffix and these days there are thousands of words in existence that can be thankful to this word because they are existing only because this suffix is in existence.

The word was being used since very long and as Latin has given so many words to the English language, the natural consequence followed and the suffix automatically became the part of the English language.