inert gas
Americannoun
noun
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Also called: noble gas. rare gas. argonon. any of the unreactive gaseous elements helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon
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(loosely) any gas, such as carbon dioxide, that is nonoxidizing
Etymology
Origin of inert gas
First recorded in 1900–05
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Helium, an inert gas, is used to push propellants to the thrusters, and if too much helium is lost, the thrusters may not work properly.
From New York Times • May 24, 2024
Nitrogen is an inert gas that makes up 78 percent of the air we breathe, passing in and out of the body harmlessly with every breath.
From Scientific American • Sep. 23, 2022
The American Veterinary Medical Association’s euthanasia guidelines say inert gas hypoxia is acceptable, under certain conditions, for the euthanasia of chickens, turkeys and pigs but is not recommended for other mammals such as rats.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 13, 2022
To get a superconductor, the researchers use a pressurized stream of inert gas to drive the diamonds together, generating a force amplified manyfold at their tips.
From Science Magazine • Aug. 26, 2021
“Look at me, and tell me that symbol of the first inert gas, helium.”
From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
