From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnitrateni‧trate /ˈnaɪtreɪt, -trət/ noun [countable, uncountable] HCCTASused in the name of substances containing nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrates are often used to improve soil potassium nitrate high levels of nitrates in drinking water
Examples from the Corpus
nitrate• Does it complete the nitrogen cycle, ie. convert nitrate into nitrogen?• Changes can be reduced by good filtration, which will remove ammonia and nitrite, and even nitrate.• Essentially the bacteria change the harmful ammonia and nitrites that are produced into harmless nitrates that are useful to living plants.• Brunner-Mond came to Billingham for the anhydride deposits which it could process into nitrates.• The question of introducing nitrate protection zones got serious consideration only through the Nitrate Coordination Group in 1987.• But, with heavier stocking, even grass leaches more nitrate.• The smile appears forced, unsteady, seems to quaver, though it is frozen in silver nitrate.• But that very nitrate is sustaining the algae.Origin nitrate (1700-1800) French nitrique; → NITRIC ACID 