Etymology
Advertisement

nitroglycerine (n.)

also nitroglycerin, violently explosive oily light-yellow liquid, 1857, from nitro- + glycerin. So called either because it was obtained by treating glycerine with nitric and sulfuric acids or because it is essentially a nitrate (glyceryl trinitrate). The essential element of dynamite; it is a violent poison when ingested, but in minute doses it is used in the treatment of angina and heart failure.

Entries linking to nitroglycerine

nitro- 

before vowels nitr-, word-forming element used scientifically and indicating nitrogen, nitrate, or nitric acid; from Greek nitron (see nitre).

glycerin (n.)

also glycerine, thick, colorless syrup, 1838, from French glycérine, coined by French chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul (1786-1889), from glycero- "sweet" (see glyco-) + chemical ending -ine (2). So called for its sweet taste. Still in popular use, but in chemistry the substance now is known as glycerol.

nitro (n.)

abbreviation of nitroglycerine, 1935, slang.

updated on June 26, 2019

Advertisement
Advertisement

Dictionary entries near nitroglycerine

nitric

nitrification

nitro

nitro-

nitrogen

nitroglycerine

nitrous

nitty

nitty-gritty

nitwit

niveous

© 2001-2023 Douglas Harper