nitrite

American  

[nahy-trahyt] / ˈnaɪ traɪt /

noun

1. Chemistry. a salt or ester of nitrous acid.

2. Nutrition. sodium nitrite.

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nitrite British  

/ ˈnaɪtraɪt /

noun

1. any salt or ester of nitrous acid

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nitrite Scientific  

/ nī′trīt′ /

1. A salt or ester of nitrous acid, containing the group NO ₂. Nitrites are an important component of the nitrogen cycle and are used as food preservatives.

2. Compare nitrate

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Etymology

Origin of nitrite

First recorded in 1790–1800; nitr- + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

The analysis focused on 17 individual preservatives, including citric acid, lecithins, total sulfites, ascorbic acid, sodium nitrite, potassium sorbate, sodium erythorbate, sodium ascorbate, potassium metabisulfite, and potassium nitrate.

From Science Daily • Jan. 27, 2026

Depending on whom you ask, it is either the nitrite preservatives used in these products or the high levels of fat and salt.

From Slate • Aug. 2, 2025

She accepted that if she had done so, she would have been able to see it was in fact sodium nitrite.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2024

Scientists have also studied poisons such as sodium nitrite, but they risk harming other species.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 21, 2023

This readily gave with silver nitrite a nitromethane in which we may suppose the nitro-group to replace the a iodine atom, i.e.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 1 "Châtelet" to "Chicago" by Various