nitrate

noun

ni·​trate ˈnī-ˌtrāt 

-trət

plural nitrates

1

: a salt or ester of nitric acid

2

: sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate used as a fertilizer

3

: any of several nitric-acid esters of cellulose : nitrocellulose

especially : a product (such as celluloid film) made from cellulose nitrate

In the case of the Clark Gable Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), the nitrate original was destroyed before anyone noticed the transferred soundtrack was out of sync.

—Roy Hemming

Examples of nitrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beets should be consumed 60 to 90 minutes before a workout to let nitrate levels peak. —Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 12 Sep. 2025

Lowers Blood Pressure Beets are high in nitrate, which the body can convert into nitric oxide after consumption. —Lindsey Desoto, Health, 9 Sep. 2025

My daughter-in-law’s mother and I always peek into the boxes hoping in vain that this year something with red sauce and nitrates will appear. —Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Sep. 2025

If iron is present in the water, the process goes a step further to convert the nitrite into nitrate, which still carries health risks but is safe in higher amounts than nitrite. —Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from nitrique

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nitrate

• ammonium nitrate
• amyl nitrate
• cellulose nitrate
• nitrate of soda
• peroxyacetyl nitrate
• potassium nitrate
• silver nitrate
• sodium nitrate

Rhymes for nitrate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

nitrate

noun

ni·​trate ˈnī-ˌtrāt 

-trət

1

: a chemical compound formed by the reaction of nitric acid with another substance

2

: nitrate of sodium or potassium used as a fertilizer

Medical Definition

nitrate

noun

ni·​trate ˈnī-ˌtrāt, -trət 

: a salt or ester of nitric acid