hydrazine

noun

hy·​dra·​zine ˈhī-drə-ˌzēn 

: a colorless fuming corrosive strongly reducing liquid base N₂H₄ used especially in fuels for rocket and jet engines

also : an organic base derived from this compound

Examples of hydrazine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new approach combines hydrazine with a thiophenol derivative, then exposes the mixture to light. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026

The spacecraft was already loaded with nitrogen tetroxide, or NTO, the volatile, toxic oxidizer used by Dragon’s control thrusters in combination with hydrazine fuel. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026

Technicians loaded the observatory with 290 gallons (1,100 liters) of hydrazine fuel on July 25, then attached it to its payload adapter in early August. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026

That includes filling it up with about 290 gallons of hydrazine fuel for its trip to Lagrange point 2, a point in space about 1 million miles away that puts the Earth between it and the sun. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hydrazine

• acridine
• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene

Kids Definition

hydrazine

noun

hy·​dra·​zine ˈhī-drə-ˌzēn 

: a colorless fuming liquid used especially in fuels for rocket engines

Medical Definition

hydrazine

noun

hy·​dra·​zine ˈhī-drə-ˌzēn 

: a colorless fuming corrosive strongly reducing liquid base N₂H₄ used in the production of various materials (as pharmaceuticals and plastics)

also : an organic base derived from this compound