nitrite

[nahy-trahyt] /ˈnaɪ traɪt/
noun
1.
Chemistry. a salt or ester of nitrous acid.
2.
Nutrition. sodium nitrite.
Origin
1790-1800; nitr- + -ite1
Examples from the web for nitrite
  • Pollutants from fertilizer runoff, such as nitrate and nitrite, are also removed.
  • The researchers calculated that such an amount of light would be enough to break down nitrite in the air.
  • Clostridia bacteria also have an enzyme that reduces nitrate to nitrite.
  • The former turns ammonia into nitrite, which the latter then converts to nitrate, a potent fertilizer.
  • Sodium nitrite and nitrate undergo chemical changes in the human stomach to become potent carcinogens.
  • These bacteria set the normal basal nitric oxide level by oxidizing the ammonia in sweat into nitric oxide and nitrite.
  • nitrite binds to hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, a form that does not carry oxygen.
  • nitrite drugs such as amyl nitrite are volatile liquids which are inhaled.
British Dictionary definitions for nitrite

nitrite

/ˈnaɪtraɪt/
noun
1.
any salt or ester of nitrous acid
nitrite in Medicine

nitrite ni·trite (nī'trīt')
n.

  1. The univalent radical NO2.

  2. A compound containing such a radical, such as a salt or ester of nitrous acid.

nitrite in Science
nitrite
  (nī'trīt')   
A salt or ester of nitrous acid, containing the group NO2. Nitrites are an important component of the nitrogen cycle and are used as food preservatives. Compare nitrate.