nitrogen

noun, often attributive ni·tro·gen \ ˈnī-trə-jən \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of nitrogen

: a colorless tasteless odorless element that as a diatomic gas is relatively inert and constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere and that is a constituent of organic compounds found in all living tissues — see Chemical Elements Table

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nitrogenous

play \nī-ˈträ-jə-nəs\ adjective

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Recent Examples of nitrogen from the Web

The meteorites, which blasted from the surface of other worlds before landing on Earth, are kept in cabinets pumped full of nitrogen at above-atmospheric pressures to help prevent material from entering the sealed environments.

— adam mann, Science | AAAS, "NASA ‘clean’ room is contaminated with fungus," 23 Mar. 2018
The level of liquid nitrogen in a cryo-storage tank used to preserve eggs and embryos dropped, raising the temperature in the tank and putting the eggs and embryos at risk.

— CBS News, "Equipment failure at 2nd fertility clinic may have damaged hundreds of embryos," 13 Mar. 2018
But the breakdowns at clinics in Cleveland and San Francisco, each apparently involving the temperature or level of liquid nitrogen in one storage tank, have damaged at least some eggs and embryos belonging to potentially hundreds of people.

— pam belluck, New York Times, "What Fertility Patients Should Know About Egg Freezing," 13 Mar. 2018
Officials at Pacific Fertility said it was discovered during a routine check that the level of liquid nitrogen in one of the clinic’s steel storage tanks had fallen too low.

— paige winfield cunningham, Washington Post, "The Health 202: Hey Republicans, Medicaid is a key way to tackle opioid abuse," 12 Mar. 2018
During a routine check, the clinic’s laboratory director discovered that the level of liquid nitrogen in one of the steel storage tanks had fallen too low, which could cause damage to the tissue.

— melanie dadourian, Fox News, "Ohio couple is suing fertility clinic over damaged embryos after storage failure," 12 Mar. 2018
One approach focused on the cascade of nitrogen and phosphorus moving from sources on land, such as wastewater discharge and stormwater runoff, into waterways.

— contributing writer, NOLA.com, "Cutting pollution in the Chesapeake Bay has helped underwater grasses rebound," 6 Mar. 2018
Some mistake the flatter, smoother feel of nitrogen for strength and weight, says Todd Usry, president and brewmaster of Breckenridge Brewery.

— matt allyn, Popular Mechanics, "Why Stouts Are Much More Than Just a St. Patrick's Day Tradition," 16 Mar. 2017
About 2,000 eggs and embryos stored in a large liquid nitrogen freezer at UH's Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood may have been damaged or destroyed March 3-4 when the temperature rose in a storage tank.

— evan macdonald, cleveland.com, "Chagrin Falls High School on lockdown due to shooting threat, district says," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nitrogen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of nitrogen

French nitrogène, from nitre niter + -gène -gen

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First Known Use: 1791

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NITROGEN Defined for English Language Learners

nitrogen

noun

Definition of nitrogen for English Language Learners

: a chemical that has no color or smell and that makes up a large part of the atmosphere

NITROGEN Defined for Kids

nitrogen

noun ni·tro·gen \ ˈnī-trə-jən \

Definition of nitrogen for Students

: a colorless odorless gaseous chemical element that makes up 78 percent of the atmosphere and forms a part of all living tissues

Medical Dictionary

nitrogen

noun ni·tro·gen \ ˈnī-trə-jən \

medical Definition of nitrogen

: a common nonmetallic element that in the free form is normally a colorless odorless tasteless insoluble inert diatomic gas comprising 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume and that in the combined form is a constituent of biologically important compounds (as proteins, nucleic acids, and alkaloids) and hence of all living cells as well as of industrially important substances (as cyanides, fertilizers, dyes, and antibiotics) —symbol N — see Chemical Elements Table

Learn More about nitrogen

Spanish Central: Translation of nitrogen Nglish: Translation of nitrogen for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of nitrogen for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nitrogen

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nitrogen

Definition of nitrogen

nitrogenous

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Origin and Etymology of nitrogen

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nitrogen

Definition of nitrogen for English Language Learners

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nitrogen

Definition of nitrogen for Students

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nitrogen

medical Definition of nitrogen

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