ammonia

American  

[uh-mohn-yuh, uh-moh-nee-uh] / əˈmoʊn yə, əˈmoʊ ni ə /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, pungent, suffocating, highly water-soluble, gaseous compound, NH 3 , usually produced by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen gases: used chiefly for refrigeration and in the manufacture of commercial chemicals and laboratory reagents.

2. Also called ammonia water.  Also called aqueous ammonia,.  Also called ammonia solution,.  this gas dissolved in water; ammonium hydroxide.

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ammonia British  

/ -njə, əˈməʊnɪə /

noun

1. a colourless pungent highly soluble gas mainly used in the manufacture of fertilizers, nitric acid, and other nitrogenous compounds, and as a refrigerant and solvent. Formula: NH 3

2. a solution of ammonia in water, containing the compound ammonium hydroxide

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ammonia Scientific  

/ ə-mōn′yə /

1. A colorless alkaline gas that is lighter than air and has a strongly pungent odor. It is used as a fertilizer and refrigerant, in medicine, and in making dyes, textiles, plastics, and explosives. Chemical formula: NH ₃ .

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Etymology

Origin of ammonia

First recorded in 1790–1800; from New Latin, so called as being obtained from sal ammoniac ( def. ); see ammoniac

Compare meaning

How does ammonia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ammonia vs. ammonium
• ammonia vs. pneumonia

Explanation

If you've ever used household cleaning products to tidy up your kitchen or bathroom, you've probably encountered ammonia — a pungent gas made of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH₃), known for its strong smell and, when mixed with water, its powerful cleaning abilities. Ammonia is a colorless gas with a sharp, intense odor, widely used in both household and industrial settings. Beyond its role in cleaning products, where it’s prized for cutting through tough grime, ammonia is also a key ingredient in fertilizers, helping plants grow strong and healthy. Despite its benefits, exposure to ammonia can be irritating to the eyes and the respiratory system, so it’s important to handle it with care.

Example Sentences

About half of the world’s agricultural nitrogen-based urea fertilizer supply passes through the strait, along with 30% of global ammonia exports.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

The UN secretary general created the task force in March to spearhead a mechanism to allow fertilisers and related raw materials such as ammonia, sulphur and urea through the strait.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

Based on its properties, Epsilon Indi Ab was expected to contain large amounts of ammonia gas as well, but not ammonia clouds.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

Prices for anhydrous ammonia and urea, key ingredients for fertilizers used to grow corn and soybeans, have appreciated significantly year-over-year, with much of those gains coming after the war started in late February.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The mats smelled faintly of ammonia for reasons Tendai didn’t care to imagine.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer