ammonia

noun

am·​mo·​nia ə-ˈmō-nyə 

1

: a pungent colorless gaseous alkaline compound of nitrogen and hydrogen NH₃ that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed to a liquid by cold and pressure

2

: ammonia water

Examples of ammonia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia or other chemical can produce dangerous fumes. —Kashif J. Piracha, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024

They have been used for cleansing purposes for years in industrial settings, such as waste water treatment and cleaning up nuclear waste, as well as the removal of ammonia from animal waste, improving mineral uptake and treating anemia in livestock, and in cat litter. —David Gilbert, WIRED, 3 Oct. 2024

Oxygen bleach should not be mixed with other chemicals, including chlorine bleach, ammonia, and other household cleaners. —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024

Some of the risks from using cleaners in your home come from using them improperly, such as mixing bleach with products that contain ammonia –– which can be found in tile or multipurpose cleaners, for example, Romer said. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, derivative based on Latin sal ammōniacus "rock salt," literally, "salt of Ammon," from ammōniacus "of Ammon," borrowed from Greek ammōniakós, derivative of Ámmōn, an Egyptian deity identified by the Greeks with Zeus, borrowed from Egyptian ỉmn; from its having been extracted near an oracle of Ammon near the Siwa oasis in Egypt

Note: The identification of sal ammoniac, not well described by ancient authors, as ammonium chloride was apparently part of medieval alchemical tradition.

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ammonia

• ammonia water

Kids Definition

ammonia

noun

am·​mo·​nia ə-ˈmō-nyə 

1

: a colorless gas that is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, has a sharp smell and taste, is easily dissolved in water, can easily be made a liquid by cold and pressure, is used to make ice, fertilizers, and explosives, and is the chief nitrogen-containing waste product of many organisms that live in water

2

: a solution of ammonia in water

ammoniacal

ˌam-ə-ˈnī-ə-kəl

adjective

Etymology

from Latin sal ammoniacus "ammonium chloride," literally "salt of Ammon," named for the Egyptian god Ammon near whose temple the salt was extracted

Medical Definition

ammonia

noun

am·​mo·​nia ə-ˈmō-nyə 

1

: a pungent colorless gaseous alkaline compound of nitrogen and hydrogen NH₃ that is very soluble in water and can easily be condensed to a liquid by cold and pressure

2

: ammonia water