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nitrous oxide
noun
: a colorless gas N2O that when inhaled produces loss of sensibility to pain preceded by exhilaration and sometimes laughter, that is used especially as an anesthetic in dentistry and as a fuel, and that is an atmospheric pollutant and greenhouse gas produced by combustion
called also laughing gas
compare nitric oxideExamples of nitrous oxide in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
All over TikTok, teens are getting high on nitrous oxide by misusing dispensers by the company Galaxy Gas intended for culinary appliances.
—Katixa Espinoza, Them, 10 Oct. 2024
Dangers of misusing nitrous oxide The originalpurpose of nitrous oxide is for use in medical settings, such as relaxing patients for dental procedures, Saltz said.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 20 Sep. 2024
Earlier this week, authorities said that the building was not supposed to contain the butane and nitrous oxide tanks that were found on the property.
—Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024
Achieving that through emission reductions alone will be extremely difficult, since some emissions, such as of methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture, are nearly impossible to eliminate.
—Fred Krupp, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019
See all Example Sentences for nitrous oxide
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Word History
First Known Use
1798, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near nitrous oxide
Cite this Entry
“Nitrous oxide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitrous%20oxide. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
nitrous oxide
noun
: a colorless gas that when inhaled causes loss of the ability to feel pain and sometimes produces laughter and is used especially in dentistry
called also laughing gas
Medical Definition
nitrous oxide
noun
: a colorless gas N2O that when inhaled produces loss of sensibility to pain preceded by exhilaration and sometimes laughter and is used especially as an anesthetic in dentistry
called also laughing gas
More from Merriam-Webster on nitrous oxide
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nitrous oxide
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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