nitrite

[nahy-trahyt]

noun

Chemistry. a salt or ester of nitrous acid.
Nutrition. sodium nitrite.

Origin of nitrite

First recorded in 1790–1800; nitr- + -ite¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for nitrite

Historical Examples of nitrite

It exists in the air as nitrate or nitrite of ammonia, and also as carbonate of ammonia.
Manures and the principles of manuring
Charles Morton Aikman
Next 1¾ pints of nitrite of soda solution, containing 1½ lb.
The Dyeing of Cotton Fabrics
Franklin Beech
Inhalations of nitrite of amyl are said to have been useful.
Poisons: Their Effects and Detection
Alexander Wynter Blyth
As an antidote, nitrite of amyl has apparently been used with success.
Poisons: Their Effects and Detection
Alexander Wynter Blyth
The Council did not determine the nitrite content of the tablets.
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2
Various

British Dictionary definitions for nitrite

nitrite

noun

any salt or ester of nitrous acid

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

nitrite in Medicine

nitrite

[nī′trīt′]

The univalent radical NO2.
A compound containing such a radical, such as a salt or ester of nitrous acid.

nitrite in Science

nitrite

[nī′trīt′]

A salt or ester of nitrous acid, containing the group NO2. Nitrites are an important component of the nitrogen cycle and are used as food preservatives. Compare nitrate.