nitrous

[ nahy-truhs ]

/ ˈnaɪ trəs /

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adjective Chemistry.

pertaining to compounds obtained from niter, usually containing less oxygen than the corresponding nitric compounds.

containing nitrogen, usually in the trivalent state.

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Origin of nitrous

First recorded in 1595–1605, nitrous is from the Latin word nitrōsus full of natron. See nitroso-

OTHER WORDS FROM nitrous

non·ni·trous, adjective

Words nearby nitrous

nitrosourea, nitrostarch, nitrosyl, nitrosylsulfuric, nitrosylsulfuric acid, nitrous, nitrous acid, nitrous bacteria, nitrous ether, nitrous oxide, nitroxanthic acid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use nitrous in a sentence

When mixed with urine, those feces give off ammonia and nitrous oxide.
Farmer Protests in the Netherlands Show Just How Messy the Climate Transition Will Be|Ciara Nugent|July 29, 2022|Time
Cows belch methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as they digest their food, and their manure produces nitrous oxides—which have an even stronger planet-warming effect—when it decomposes.
The Next Hottest Alternative Milk Comes from Microbes|Aryn Baker|July 22, 2022|Time
Others, including methane and nitrous oxide from sources like cattle, animal waste, and fertilizer use, are much more difficult to fully eliminate.
We need to draw down carbon—not just stop emitting it|Zeke Hausfather, Jane Flegal|July 5, 2022|MIT Technology Review
Additionally, unabsorbed nitrogen can lead to the release of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas roughly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
The Unsettled—and Unsettling—Science of Lawn Chemicals|Tik Root|June 9, 2022|Time

The traffic also emits nitrous oxide, which is capable of damaging lungs and likely the cause of asthma in children, according to the EPA, and other pollutants.
Slow Border Crossings Mean High Emissions at a Bad Time for the Planet|MacKenzie Elmer|June 7, 2022|Voice of San Diego
Campbell is quoted saying “Nitrous oxide can explode on its own.”
Branson’s Galactic Obstacles: Tom Bower Puts a Damper on Virgin’s Space Flight Dreams|Clive Irving|January 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The original seems dated now, but it all started here, from the unstoppable Diesel/Walker combo right down to the nitrous boosts.
Best Paul Walker Performances: Ranking the ‘Fast and Furious’ Franchise|Jimmy So|December 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST
One distributor the office is tracking is reportedly raking in more than $60,000 on the bulk sale of nitrous.
Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Whip-Its|Winston Ross|March 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
As a drug, nitrous is among many forms of inhalants, including solvents and gasoline, that people use to alter the mind.
Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Whip-Its|Winston Ross|March 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And recent national surveys have ranked nitrous as one of the most popular drugs among people aged 17 and older, Weiss said.
Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Whip-Its|Winston Ross|March 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Nitrous ether gradually distils over on the application of a gentle heat.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
Nitrite of ethyl is best made by passing nitrous acid gas into alcohol.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
It also acidifies by age, whilst pure nitrous ether remains neutral.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
This process is very productive and economical, and yields pure nitrous ether.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
To him is to be credited the first operation ever performed without pain by the use of nitrous-oxide gas.
An Epitome of the History of Medicine|Roswell Park

British Dictionary definitions for nitrous

nitrous

/ (ˈnaɪtrəs) /

adjective

of, derived from, or containing nitrogen, esp in a low valency state

Word Origin for nitrous

C17: from Latin nitrōsus full of natron see nitre

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

Scientific definitions for nitrous

nitrous

[ nī′trəs ]

Containing nitrogen, especially nitrogen with a valence of 3. Compare nitric.