nitric acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless or yellowish, fuming, suffocating, caustic, corrosive, water-soluble liquid, HNO 3 , having powerful oxidizing properties, usually obtained from ammonia or from Chile saltpeter: used chiefly in the manufacture of explosives and fertilizers and in organic synthesis.

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nitric acid British  

noun

1. Former name: aqua fortis.  a colourless or yellowish fuming corrosive liquid usually used in aqueous solution. It is an oxidizing agent and a strong monobasic acid: important in the manufacture of fertilizers, explosives, and many other chemicals. Formula: HNO 3

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nitric acid Scientific  

1. A clear, colorless to yellow liquid that is very corrosive and can dissolve most metals. It is used to make fertilizers, explosives, dyes, and rocket fuels. Chemical formula: HNO ₃ .

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Etymology

Origin of nitric acid

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

Nitric acid is a highly corrosive colorless liquid used to make ammonium nitrate for fertilizers and the manufacture of plastics and dyes.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2023

Nitric acid is used to make ammonium nitrate for fertilizers and in the manufacture of plastics and dyes.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2023

Nitric acid finds extensive use in the laboratory and in chemical industries as a strong acid and strong oxidizing agent.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Nitric acid is stable in aqueous solution; solutions containing 68% of the acid are commercially available concentrated nitric acid.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Nitric acid, variously diluted, and sulphuric acid, which was tried in one case, diluted with an equal quantity of water, were entirely useless.

From North American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, 1826 by Bache, Franklin