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

However, the specific interaction between penguins and their ammonia filled poop and the Antarctic climate is not well understood. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025

But he couldn’t be weaned off of the drug treatment used to keep his ammonia levels down (nitrogen scavenging medication). —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 16 May 2025

An attentive doctor at the University of Pennsylvania, checking for a host of possible causes, noticed that KJ’s ammonia level was off the charts. —Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 16 May 2025

As a result, ammonia builds up in his body, which can be toxic to the brain, potentially leading to developmental delays. —Alice Park, Time, 15 May 2025

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

Rhymes for ammonia

• begonia
• pneumonia
• bronchopneumonia
• pleuropneumonia

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