NITRIFICATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nitrification mean? 

• NITRIFICATION (noun)
  The noun NITRIFICATION has 2 senses:

1. the chemical process in which a nitro group is added to an organic compound (or substituted for another group in an organic compound)

2. the oxidation of ammonium compounds in dead organic material into nitrates and nitrites by soil bacteria (making nitrogen available to plants)

  Familiarity information: NITRIFICATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NITRIFICATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The chemical process in which a nitro group is added to an organic compound (or substituted for another group in an organic compound)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("nitrification" is a kind of...):

chemical action; chemical change; chemical process ((chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved)

Derivation:

nitrify (treat with nitrogen or a nitrogen compound)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The oxidation of ammonium compounds in dead organic material into nitrates and nitrites by soil bacteria (making nitrogen available to plants)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("nitrification" is a kind of...):

oxidation; oxidisation; oxidization (the process of oxidizing; the addition of oxygen to a compound with a loss of electrons; always occurs accompanied by reduction)

Domain category:

flora; plant; plant life ((botany) a living organism lacking the power of locomotion)

Derivation:

nitrify (treat (soil) with nitrates)

nitrify (convert into nitric acid, nitrous acid, or nitrate, especially with the action of nitrobacteria)

 Context examples 

Nitrification inhibitors are also used to block the transformation of ammonia into nitrate.

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