denitrify

American  

[dee-nahy-truh-fahy] / diˈnaɪ trəˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

denitrified, denitrifying

1. Chemistry, Biology. to reduce (nitrates) to nitrites, ammonia, ammonium compounds, and free atmospheric nitrogen, as in soil by bacteria or other microbes.

2. Chemistry. to remove nitrogen or nitrogen compounds from.

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denitrify British  

/ diːˈnaɪtrɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to undergo or cause to undergo loss or removal of nitrogen compounds or nitrogen

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• denitrification
  noun
• denitrifier
  noun
• denitrificator
  noun

Etymology

Origin of denitrify

First recorded in 1890–95; de- + nitrify