combining form
or nitro-
Etymology: Latin & Greek; Latin nitrum natron, from Greek nitron — more at niter
1. : nitrate
nitro bacteria
nitro gen
2.
a. : containing nitrogen in combined form especially when derived from an acid (as nitric acid)
nitr amide
nitro hydrochloric acid
b. usually nitro- : containing the univalent group −NO 2 composed of one nitrogen and two oxygen atoms united through nitrogen to (1) carbon or nitrogen; (2) oxygen; or (3) a central atom — in names respectively of (1) organic compounds
nitro benzene
nitro methane
nitr amines
(2) organic nitrates
nitro glycerin
nitro cellulose
(3) coordination complexes
nitro -pentammine-cobalt ion [Co(NO 2 )(NH 3 ) 5 ] ++
— compare isonitro- , nitrito- , nitryl