yəˈrēə, yüˈr- sometimes ˈyu̇rēə or ˈyür- noun
( -s )
Etymology: New Latin, from French urée, from urine, from Middle French — more at urine
1. : a highly soluble crystalline nitrogenous compound CO(NH 2 ) 2 that is formed in nature by the decomposition of protein and synthesized commercially usually by heating ammonia and carbon dioxide under pressue, constitutes the chief solid component of the urine of man and other mammals and is also present in the urine of various lower animals and in small quantities in the blood and other body fluids and in the liver, is a very weak base and forms salts only with strong acids, and is used especially in various chemical syntheses and in fertilizers and animal rations — called also carbamide ; compare biuret , ornithine , pseudourea
2. : any of various derivatives of urea — usually used in combination
alkylated ureas