nitroglycerin

noun

ni·​tro·​glyc·​er·​in ˌnī-trə-ˈgli-s(ə-)rən 

variants or nitroglycerine

: an oily explosive poisonous liquid C₃H₅N₃O₉ used chiefly in making dynamite and in medicine as a vasodilator

Examples of nitroglycerin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a remote South American town, four desperate men (Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Folco Lulli, and Peter van Eyck) are hired for a desperate job, to transport two truckloads of highly volatile nitroglycerin up a mountain. —Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024

This nitroglycerin was then used as a propellant for bullets and missiles in World War I and World War II. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Oct. 2024

With the pulsed field ablation, doctors give the patients fluids and medications preemptively to protect the kidneys as well as nitroglycerin to protect against spasms near the coronary artery. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 23 Apr. 2024

When the glycerol is mixed with nitric and sulfuric acid the result is explosive nitroglycerin. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

nitroglycerin

noun

ni·​tro·​glyc·​er·​in

variants or nitroglycerine

ˌnī-trə-ˈglis- (ə-)rən 

: an oily explosive poisonous liquid used chiefly in making dynamite and in medicine to relax blood vessels

Medical Definition

nitroglycerin

noun

ni·​tro·​glyc·​er·​in

variants or nitroglycerine

ˌnī-trə-ˈglis-(ə-)rən 

: a heavy oily explosive poisonous liquid C₃H₅N₃O₉ used chiefly in making dynamites and in medicine as a vasodilator (as in angina pectoris)

called also trinitrin, trinitroglycerin

see nitro-dur, nitrostat