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nitrogen

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Definition of nitrogen

noun

[mass noun]
  • the chemical element of atomic number 7, a colourless, odourless unreactive gas that forms about 78 per cent of the earth’s atmosphere. Liquid nitrogen (made by distilling liquid air) boils at 77.4 kelvins (−195.8°C) and is used as a coolant: bacteria in the root nodules of legumes have the capacity to fix nitrogen from the air (Symbol: N)

Origin:

late 18th century: from French nitrogène (see nitre, -gen)

nitrogen in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of nitrogen in the US English dictionary