I. ˈnī.ˌtrāt, -_trə̇t, usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: French, from nitr- + -ate
1. : a salt or ester of nitric acid, most of the salts being soluble in water and some of them (as the sodium, potassium, and calcium salts) constituting the principal source of nitrogen for higher plants
2. : sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate used as a fertilizer
3. : cellulose nitrate or its products (as a plastic)
II. -.ˌtrāt, usu -ād.+V transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to treat or combine with nitric acid or a nitrate ; especially : to convert (an organic compound) into a nitro compound or a nitrate (as by treating with a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid)