nitrate
nitrate Lexical Profile
nitrate Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A salt or ester of nitric acid containing the anion NO3-, widely occurring in soil and water and used extensively in agricultural fertilizers, food preservatives, and pharmaceuticals.
"High levels of nitrate in the groundwater were traced back to agricultural runoff from nearby farms."
Potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate used commercially as a plant fertilizer.
"The farmer applied a mixture of phosphate and nitrate to boost the spring wheat yield."
• verb
To treat, combine, or react a substance with nitric acid or a nitrate, especially to introduce nitro groups into an organic compound.
"The laboratory technician carefully cooled the flask before attempting to nitrate the aromatic compound."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'nitrate' (NO3-) with 'nitrite' (NO2-), a closely related chemical ion with one fewer oxygen atom that is also used in food curing and biological nitrogen cycles.
• Rhymes for nitrate
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 18th century from French 'nitrate', derived from 'nitre' (potassium nitrate, from Latin 'nitrum' and Ancient Greek 'nitron') combined with the chemical suffix '-ate'.