nitricadj.
/ˈnʌɪtrɪk/, U.S. /ˈnaɪtrɪk/ Chemistry.
Of, containing, or derived from nitre or nitric acid; of or containing nitrogen, esp. in a relatively high oxidation state (often 5). Cf. nitric acid n. and nitrous adj.
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the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > nitrates > [adjective] > potassium nitrate
saltpetrous1662
salnitral1683
saltpetrish1683
nitric1788
1788 J. St. John tr. L. B. Guyton de Morveau et al. Method Chym. Nomencl. 110 Acid nitric.
1794 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 84 420 A piece of paper dipped into this nitric solution burnt with a red flame.
1804 D. Alexander Answer to Enq. Preserv. Health 16 The atmosphere is..found to consist of..oxygen..and..nitric gas.
1808 Z. M. Pike Acct. Exped. Sources Mississippi (1810) App. 5 A species of salt,..strongly impregnated with nitric qualities.
1872 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (ed. 4) xiv. 405 The rays..are intercepted by the nitric gas.
1884 Encycl. Brit. XVII. 519 Nitric esters, i.e. real nitrates formed from alcohols.
1955 B. C. L. Kemp Elem. Org. Chem. (new ed.) xv. 218 By the joint action of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acids, nitric esters (i.e. cellulose nitrates) are obtained.
1985 Educ. in Chem. 22 12/1 They discovered combustible air (hydrogen),..phlogisticated air (nitrogen), dephlogisticated air (oxygen), nitric air (nitric oxide) and many more.
1993 A. C. Clarke Hammer of God 25 Nitric oxides rained from the air, turning the sea to acid.
Compounds
nitric anhydride n. [after French acide nitrique anhydre (H. Sainte-Claire Deville 1850, in Ann. de chimie et de physique 28 241)] now rare = nitrogen pentoxide n. at nitrogen n. Compounds 2.
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1866 F. A. Abel in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 156 271 This substance may be affirmed to contain the elements of cellulose plus two or three proportions of the elements of nitric anhydride.
1922 T. M. Lowry Inorg. Chem. xxvi. 401 N2O5. Dinitrogen pentoxide or nitric anhydride.
1938 R. Hum Chem. for Engin. Students xv. 366 Nitric anhydride readily decomposes into nitrogen peroxide and oxygen.
nitric ether n. now historical ethyl nitrate, C2H5ONO2.
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the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > named compounds > [noun] > nitro-compounds
nitric ether1796
nitro-compound1852
nitro-substitute1852
nitro-acid1857
nitro-substitution1863
nitrocellulose1868
pyrocellulose1901
1796 R. Heron tr. A.-F. de Fourcroy Elements Chem. & Nat. Hist. III. 424 The nitric æther obtained by these processes is a yellow fluid, equally volatile and susceptible of evaporation with sulphuric æther.
1811 A. T. Thomson London Dispensatory iii. 654 Spirit of nitric ether..has an extremely fragrant odour, and a pungent acidulous taste.
1862 W. A. Miller Elements Chem. (ed. 2) III. 196 Nitric ether is a colourless liquid of an agreeable odour.
nitric oxide n. a colourless toxic gas, NO, which is typically made by reduction of nitric acid with copper, and reacts readily with oxygen to form nitrogen dioxide; also called nitrogen monoxide.
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the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > named gases > [noun] > containing nitrogen
nitrous gas1742
nitrous air1772
nitric oxide1789
nitrogen monoxide1869
nitrox1982
1789 R. Kerr tr. A. Lavoisier Elements Chem. 195 When combined with oxygen, azote forms the nitrous and nitric oxyds and acids.
1876 Encycl. Brit. V. 513/1 Nitric oxide immediately combines with oxygen when mixed with it.
1993 New Scientist 12 June 15/1 Understanding nitric oxide's activity in the body will help researchers discover more about blood and lung disorders.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1788