noun
nitrogen
NY-truh-juhn/ˈnaɪtrədʒən/
A colorless gaseous chemical element that makes up most of Earth's air.
Nitrogen makes up most of the air we breathe.
Etymology
The name expresses ‘nitre-producing’: the first piece points to nitre, while the second supplies ‘producing.’ This chemical connection motivated the name; analysis of nitre helped identify the gas.
In context
nitrogen gas makes up about 78% of the atmosphere
More examples
- Plants absorb nitrogen compounds through their roots.
- The laboratory stores liquid nitrogen in an insulated container.
- The machine fills each sealed bag with nitrogen.
Forms
nitrogenous adjective — Containing nitrogen or compounds of nitrogen.