urea

American  

[yoo-ree-uh, yoor-ee-uh] / jʊˈri ə, ˈjʊər i ə /

noun

ureas plural

1. Biochemistry. a compound, CO(NH2 ) 2 , occurring in urine and other body fluids as a product of protein metabolism.

2. Chemistry. a water-soluble powder form of this compound, obtained by the reaction of liquid ammonia and liquid carbon dioxide: used as a fertilizer, animal feed, in the synthesis of plastics, resins, and barbiturates, and in medicine as a diuretic and in the diagnosis of kidney function.

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urea British  

/ ˈjʊərɪə /

noun

1. Also called: carbamide.  a white water-soluble crystalline compound with a saline taste and often an odour of ammonia, produced by protein metabolism and excreted in urine. A synthetic form is used as a fertilizer, animal feed, and in the manufacture of synthetic resins. Formula: CO(NH 2 ) 2

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urea Scientific  

/ y-rē′ə /

1. The chief nitrogen-containing waste product excreted in the urine of mammals and some fish. It is the final nitrogenous product in the breakdown of proteins by the body, during which amino groups (NH ₂) are removed from amino acids and converted into ammonium ions (NH ₄), which are toxic at high concentrations. The liver then converts the ammonium ions into urea. Urea is also made artificially for use in fertilizers and medicine. Chemical formula: CON ₂ H ₄ .

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ureal
  adjective
• ureic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ureas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of urea

1800–10; < New Latin < French urée; ultimately < Greek oûron urine or oureîn to urinate; see uro- ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

urea ureas

Thye cuts the 2026 earnings forecast by 22% after lowering the urea average selling price assumption.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Find insight on urea, Canada’s critical minerals, AngloTeck and more in the latest Market Talks covering basic materials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

It produces most of its urea domestically but depends on liquefied natural gas from war-affected Qatar.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Unlike urea prices, sulfur prices are holding at record levels, even after hopes around the deal started to surface.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026

There’s also the protein supplement, a sticky brown goop made of molasses and urea.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

When heated with water they yield carbon dioxide and symmetrical dialkyl ureas; with ammonia and amines they form alkyl ureas; and with acid anhydrides they yield tertiary amides.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various

Substituted ammonias were also made to combine with cyanic acid, and it was found that the substituted ammonium cyanates produced pass much more readily into the corresponding ureas than ammonium cyanate itself.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various