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
Which parts of Wisconsin deal with high nitrate levels?
Kewaunee County is typically held up as an area struggling with nitrates.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
Directly across the San Joaquin River from the preserve, the community of Grayson sits atop groundwater contaminated with nitrate.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024
And, the miconazole nitrate in this foot powder helps clear most cases of athlete’s foot when used consistently.
—Sherri Gordon, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2024
In Texas, about 90% of the water discharges are nitrates, Reible said, adding that the vast majority of the chemicals released were not carcinogenic.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2024
The nitrocellulose — or nitrate — used at the time as a base for filmmaking was quick to decompose and highly flammable; fires were not uncommon.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
That means synthetic nitrates were used in its curing process, confirmed by their appearance in the ingredient list.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 8 Feb. 2024
Their methods showed that some of air pollution’s most common chemical agents—ozone and nitrate radicals—significantly deteriorate the wildflower’s scent, deterring the moths from landing on polluted plants.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024
Ultimately, the researchers found that in many parts of the globe, ozone and nitrate radical pollution may be stymying pollinators’ ability to detect their host plants.
—Popular Science, 8 Feb. 2024
Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2024
Directly across the San Joaquin River from the preserve, the community of Grayson sits atop groundwater contaminated with nitrate.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024
And, the miconazole nitrate in this foot powder helps clear most cases of athlete’s foot when used consistently.
—Sherri Gordon, Verywell Health, 30 Jan. 2024
In Texas, about 90% of the water discharges are nitrates, Reible said, adding that the vast majority of the chemicals released were not carcinogenic.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2024
The nitrocellulose — or nitrate — used at the time as a base for filmmaking was quick to decompose and highly flammable; fires were not uncommon.
—Dan Barry, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
That means synthetic nitrates were used in its curing process, confirmed by their appearance in the ingredient list.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 8 Feb. 2024
Their methods showed that some of air pollution’s most common chemical agents—ozone and nitrate radicals—significantly deteriorate the wildflower’s scent, deterring the moths from landing on polluted plants.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024
Ultimately, the researchers found that in many parts of the globe, ozone and nitrate radical pollution may be stymying pollinators’ ability to detect their host plants.
—Popular Science, 8 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nitrate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near nitrate
Cite this Entry
“Nitrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitrate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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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