nitric oxide

noun

: a colorless poisonous gas NO formed by oxidation of nitrogen or ammonia that is present in the atmosphere and also in mammals where it is synthesized from arginine and oxygen and acts as a vasodilator and as a mediator of cell-to-cell communication (as between nerve cells) compare nitrous oxide

Examples of nitric oxide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Why are nitrates and nitric oxide essential? Beetroot juice is packed with nitrates and our bodies turn those nitrates into nitric oxide when they’re consumed. —Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 18 June 2024

To help overcome the effects of aging on blood vessels, exercise triggers the release of nitric oxide from the walls of brain arteries. —Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 16 May 2024

Antioxidants similarly work to preserve nitric oxide, a compound that has a role to play in moderating blood pressure, per Healthline. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 13 May 2024

The supplement contains icariin, a compound that stimulates the release of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels and promotes circulation. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 24 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

nitric oxide

noun

: a poisonous colorless gas NO that occurs as a common air pollutant formed by the oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen and that is also formed by the oxidation of arginine in the mammalian body where it acts as a mediator of intracellular and intercellular communication regulating numerous biological processes (as vasodilation and neurotransmission)