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nitro

[ nahy-troh ]
/ ˈnaɪ troʊ /
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adjective
Chemistry. containing the nitro group.
noun
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Origin of nitro

First recorded in 1855–60; see origin at nitro-

Other definitions for nitro (2 of 2)

nitro-

a combining form used in the names of chemical compounds in which the nitro group is present: nitroglycerin.
Also especially before a vowel, nitr-.

Origin of nitro-

Combining form of Greek nítron.See niter
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for nitro (1 of 2)

nitro
/ (ˈnaɪtrəʊ) /

noun
slang short for nitroglycerine

British Dictionary definitions for nitro (2 of 2)

nitro-

before a vowel nitr-


combining form
indicating that a chemical compound contains a nitro group, -NO 2nitrobenzene
indicating that a chemical compound is a nitrate esternitrocellulose

Word Origin for nitro-

from Greek nitron natron
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
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