(US, regional, dated) A carbonated soft drink sweetened with fruit syrup and with some phosphoric acid.
2002, Michael Raleigh, In the castle of the Flynns, “This man here,†she said, “can make you a cherry Coke or a chocolate Coke or a phosphate — a chocolate phosphate or. “Vanilla phosphate,†the man helped, “cherry phosphate, orange phosphate, lime phosphate, lemon phosphate,
2008, Kathryn Kysar, Riding shotgun: women write about their mothers, You order California burgers for us both, even though I don't eat lettuce or tomato, then you order me a phosphate, cherry, a dreadful fizzy drink you say you always loved. It's bitter, bubbly, unbearable; but, thirsty for your past, force myself to drink it.
