ammonia

noun

am·​mo·​nia ə-ˈmō-nyə 

1

: a pungent colorless gaseous alkaline compound of nitrogen and hydrogen NH₃ that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed to a liquid by cold and pressure

2

: ammonia water

Examples of ammonia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hazard — which was later identified by the OCFA as an ammonia leak — was reported shortly before 9:15 a.m., the OCFA told ABC News and CBS News in a statement. —Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023

In the new study, the team showed that lightning can’t make ammonia, methane, or nitrous oxide on its own, making those chemicals even more reliable signs of life. —Popular Science, 7 Mar. 2024

In their gaseous phase, many natural and man-made molecules, including ammonia, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and methanol, absorb photons when stimulated at terahertz frequencies, and those absorption bands can serve as chemical fingerprints. —IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024

The researchers point out that the absence of ammonia, which is highly soluble in water, is consistent with the presence of a surface ocean. —Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024

Here's how to tell the difference: Urine has a yellowish color and smells like ammonia, while amniotic fluid is usually odorless, says Brichter. —Nicole Harris, Parents, 14 Mar. 2024

Scientists don’t know of a way ammonia can be made without biological processes, and nitrous oxide is a common product of bacteria’s metabolisms. —Popular Science, 7 Mar. 2024

In 1909, the German chemist Fritz Haber demonstrated a nascent but scalable method for turning N2 into ammonia. —Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2024

Carbon capture touted as climate solution The company, which recently converted its gasification plant into the fertilizer facility, said capturing and storing carbon underground will reduce the carbon impact of making ammonia fertilizer. —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, derivative based on Latin sal ammōniacus "rock salt," literally, "salt of Ammon," from ammōniacus "of Ammon," borrowed from Greek ammōniakós, derivative of Ámmōn, an Egyptian deity identified by the Greeks with Zeus, borrowed from Egyptian ỉmn; from its having been extracted near an oracle of Ammon near the Siwa oasis in Egypt

Note: The identification of sal ammoniac, not well described by ancient authors, as ammonium chloride was apparently part of medieval alchemical tradition.

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ammonia

• ammonia water

Kids Definition

ammonia

noun

am·​mo·​nia ə-ˈmō-nyə 

1

: a colorless gas that is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, has a sharp smell and taste, is easily dissolved in water, can easily be made a liquid by cold and pressure, is used to make ice, fertilizers, and explosives, and is the chief nitrogen-containing waste product of many organisms that live in water

2

: a solution of ammonia in water

ammoniacal

ˌam-ə-ˈnī-ə-kəl

adjective

Etymology

from Latin sal ammoniacus "ammonium chloride," literally "salt of Ammon," named for the Egyptian god Ammon near whose temple the salt was extracted

Medical Definition

ammonia

noun

am·​mo·​nia ə-ˈmō-nyə 

1

: a pungent colorless gaseous alkaline compound of nitrogen and hydrogen NH₃ that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed to a liquid by cold and pressure

2

: ammonia water