nitrogen cycle

noun

: a continuous series of natural processes by which nitrogen passes successively from air to soil to organisms and back to air or soil involving principally nitrogen fixation, nitrification, decay, and denitrification

Examples of nitrogen cycle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The water cycle, nitrogen cycle, the oxygen cycle, the carbon cycle—dust is feeding into all of these. —Matt Simon, WIRED, 27 Nov. 2023

Together, the two stages form an important step (called nitrification) in the nitrogen cycle that operates on Earth. —Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 13 Sep. 2023

This has led to the development of artificial fertilizers and a global industry dedicated to manipulating the nitrogen cycle via an industrial approach to creating ammonia called the Haber-Bosch process. —The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 14 Apr. 2022

Biology students may remember learning the water cycle, the carbon cycle or the nitrogen cycle. —Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2021

Among that sediment was cyanobacteria, microorganisms capable of photosynthesis and an important player in the nitrogen cycle. —Scottie Andrew, CNN, 4 Feb. 2020

This nitrogen cycle, properly balanced, is fundamental to life. —IEEE Spectrum, 25 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nitrogen cycle

• motorcycle
• recycle

Kids Definition

nitrogen cycle

noun

: a continuous series of natural processes by which nitrogen passes from air to soil to living things and back to the air by means of nitrogen fixation, nitrification, decay, and denitrification

Medical Definition

nitrogen cycle

noun

: a continuous series of natural processes by which nitrogen passes through successive stations in air, soil, and organisms and which principally involves nitrogen fixation, nitrification, decay, and denitrification