nitrate

noun

ni·​trate ˈnī-ˌtrāt 

-trət

plural nitrates

1

: a salt or ester of nitric acid

2

: sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate used as a fertilizer

3

: any of several nitric-acid esters of cellulose : nitrocellulose

especially : a product (such as celluloid film) made from cellulose nitrate

In the case of the Clark Gable Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), the nitrate original was destroyed before anyone noticed the transferred soundtrack was out of sync.

—Roy Hemming

Examples of nitrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Aqua Illinois said Friday, following consultation with the Illinois Environmental Protection Administration and additional testing, that nitrate levels had fallen below the warning level. —Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025

Beets Research suggests beetroot juice can help reduce blood pressure and increase blood flow, improving heart health, likely due to its high nitrate levels. —Lindsey Desoto, Verywell Health, 29 May 2025

But nitrate levels in the Raccoon River kept on rising. —Dave Hage, Literary Hub, 27 May 2025

Like other dark, leafy green vegetables, beet greens contain nitrates and are high in beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. —Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 30 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from nitrique

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing nitrate

• ammonium nitrate
• amyl nitrate
• cellulose nitrate
• nitrate of soda
• peroxyacetyl nitrate
• potassium nitrate
• silver nitrate
• sodium nitrate

Rhymes for nitrate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

nitrate

noun

ni·​trate ˈnī-ˌtrāt 

-trət

1

: a chemical compound formed by the reaction of nitric acid with another substance

2

: nitrate of sodium or potassium used as a fertilizer

Medical Definition

nitrate

noun

ni·​trate ˈnī-ˌtrāt, -trət 

: a salt or ester of nitric acid