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
Roy Hemming Examples of nitrate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leafy Greens Like pomegranates, leafy greens like kale and spinach are rich in naturally occurring nitrates, according to Geoffrey Abbott, PhD, a professor of physiology and biophysics in the School of Medicine at UC Irvine.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 5 Dec. 2025
Key Takeaways Eating deli meat can increase your blood pressure due to its high salt content and additives like nitrates.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 29 Nov. 2025
The Port is now waiting for approval of a $432 million federal grant that could allow the construction of additional wastewater storage as well as new facilities to eventually reduce wastewater nitrate levels.
—Sean Patrick Cooper, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
The museum digs into its expansive collection of rare (and highly flammable) nitrate films and hosts a series of screenings all tinged with the thrill of risk.
—The Atlantic, 19 Nov. 2025
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Sherri Gordon, Health, 5 Dec. 2025
Key Takeaways Eating deli meat can increase your blood pressure due to its high salt content and additives like nitrates.
—Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 29 Nov. 2025
The Port is now waiting for approval of a $432 million federal grant that could allow the construction of additional wastewater storage as well as new facilities to eventually reduce wastewater nitrate levels.
—Sean Patrick Cooper, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
The museum digs into its expansive collection of rare (and highly flammable) nitrate films and hosts a series of screenings all tinged with the thrill of risk.
—The Atlantic, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nitrate
Cite this Entry
“Nitrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitrate. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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