Added 9 October 2026
nitrogen
/ˈnaɪ.tɹə.d͡ʒən/ noun
In Latin: nitrogenium, azōtum Coined: 1790, by Jean-Antoine Chaptal Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about nitrogen at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78 percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all living tissues.
Origin
Borrowed from French nitrogène (coined by French chemist and physician Jean-Antoine Chaptal in 1790). By surface analysis, nitro- + -gen. See also niter.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)