/ ˈnaɪtrədʒən; NAmE / noun
[ U ] ( symb N ) a chemical element. Nitrogen is a gas that is found in large quantities in the earth's atmosphere.
► ni·tro·gen·ous / naɪˈtrɒdʒənəs; NAmE -ˈtrɑːdʒ-/ adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
late 18th cent.: from French nitrogène (from nitre , from Latin nitrum , from Greek nitron + -gen ).