nitrate
Americannoun
-
nitrates
plural
-
Chemistry. a salt or ester of nitric acid, or any compound containing the univalent group –ONO 2 or NO 3 .
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fertilizer consisting of potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate.
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Informal. nitrate film.
verb (used with object)
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nitrates,
present (3rd person singular)
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nitrated,
past participle, past
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nitrating
present participle
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to treat with nitric acid or a nitrate.
-
to convert into a nitrate.
noun
-
any salt or ester of nitric acid, such as sodium nitrate, NaNO 3
-
a fertilizer consisting of or containing nitrate salts
verb
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(tr) to treat with nitric acid or a nitrate
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to convert or be converted into a nitrate
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to undergo or cause to undergo the chemical process in which a nitro group is introduced into a molecule
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A salt or ester of nitric acid, containing the group NO 3. Nitrates dissolve extremely easily in water and are an important component of the nitrogen cycle.
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Compare nitrite
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
nitratesimple
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nitratessimple
-
have nitratedperfect
-
has nitratedperfect
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am nitratingprogressive
-
are nitratingprogressive
-
is nitratingprogressive
-
have been nitratingperfect progressive
-
has been nitratingperfect progressive
Past
-
nitratedsimple
-
had nitratedperfect
-
was nitratingprogressive
-
were nitratingprogressive
-
had been nitratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of nitrate
Vocabulary lists containing nitrate
South America - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Alongside the hot weather, the government said "the efforts of the Action for Cleaner Water group and agriculture industry to reduce nitrate use on fields will support the reduction of build-up".
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The research team now plans to conduct a larger study involving athletes to further examine how sugary chewing gum affects nitrate metabolism, blood pressure, and exercise performance.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
Scientists have long known that oral bacteria are essential for converting nitrate into nitrite.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
The venue, the museum’s Dryden Theatre, is relatively small at 500 seats, and demand is high, not for specific titles but for the opportunity to see any given movie on nitrate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
We were sitting in chemistry lab, waiting to see what happened when we mixed silver nitrate and salt.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
They contain nitrates, high levels of sodium and saturated fats, and aromatic hydrocarbons that increase the risk of cancer, hypertension, and heart disease.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 21, 2026
Pickles says 10 volunteers covered four testing sites and test once a week for phosphates and nitrates, as well as for electro-conductivity levels and temperature, which can impact the results.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Men who use nitrates to treat cardiac conditions are most at risk when using the products, according to the announcement, which urged customers who purchased the products to stop using them immediately.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026
These nitrates limit blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and can present a serious risk of cardiovascular issues for infants and other vulnerable people, as well as potentially increasing risk for some cancers.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2024
When corn, oats, or sorghum containing large amounts of nitrates are ensiled they release poisonous nitrogen oxide gases, creating a deadly hazard to anyone entering the silo.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
"This is a common modification we see in biology. However, we found that HGF loses its physiological activity when it becomes nitrated, and this phenomenon accumulates with age."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 19, 2024
One of the most effective ways of doing this is to develop antibodies that bind to the protein and block it from being nitrated in the first place.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 19, 2024
The widespread willingness to forgive pink, nitrated bacon for causing cancer illustrates how torn we feel when something beloved in our culture is proven to be detrimental to health.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 1, 2018
When PAHs from a flame mingle with nitrogen, say from a slab of meat, they can form nitrated PAHs, or NPAHs.
From Slate ● Jan. 23, 2014
At the time these products were thought to be related to the nitrated starch obtained a little previously by Henri Braconnot and called xyloidin; they are only related in so far as they are nitrates.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various
In operating with this apparatus the nitrating acid is introduced into the nitrating vessel by opening the cock of the pipe e.
From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford
The nitrating house is best built of wood, and should have a close-boarded floor, which should be kept scrupulously clean, and free from grit and sand.
From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford
The usual nitrating vessel is provided with an acid inlet pipe at the bottom, and a glass separation cylinder with a lateral exit or overflow pipe at the top.
From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford
He adds ammonium sulphate or ammonium nitrate to the mixed acids during the operation of nitrating, which he claims destroys the nitrous acid formed according to the equation—
From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford
Now, however, vertical iron cylinders, made of cast-iron, are used for the nitrating operation.
From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by P. Gerald (Percy Gerald) Sanford
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