nitroglycerin

[ nahy-truh-glis-er-in ]
/ ˌnaɪ trəˈglɪs ər ɪn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR nitroglycerin ON THESAURUS.COM

noun Chemistry, Pharmacology.

a colorless, thick, oily, flammable, highly explosive, slightly water-soluble liquid, C3H5N3O9, prepared from glycerol with nitric and sulfuric acids: used chiefly as a constituent of dynamite and other explosives, in rocket propellants, and in medicine as a vasodilator in the treatment of angina pectoris.
Also ni·tro·glyc·er·ine [nahy-truh-glis-er-in, -uh-reen] /ˌnaɪ trəˈglɪs ər ɪn, -əˌrin/.
Also called glonoin, glyceryl trinitrate, trinitroglycerin.

Origin of nitroglycerin

First recorded in 1855–60; nitro- + glycerin

Words nearby nitroglycerin

nitrogen-fixing, nitrogenase, nitrogenize, nitrogenous, nitrogenous wastes, nitroglycerin, nitroglycerine, nitrohydrochloric acid, nitrolic, nitromannitol, nitromersol

Words related to nitroglycerin

bomb, mine, missile, powder, ammunition, detonator, dynamite, gunpowder, TNT, gelignite, trinitrotoluene, grease, shot, grenade, charge, shell, fireworks, soup, pineapple

Example sentences from the Web for nitroglycerin

Medical definitions for nitroglycerin

nitroglycerin

n.

A thick, pale yellow liquid that is explosive on concussion or exposure to sudden heat, used as a vasodilator in medicine.

Scientific definitions for nitroglycerin

nitroglycerin
[ nī′trō-glĭs′ər-ĭn ]

A thick, pale-yellow, explosive liquid formed by treating glycerin with nitric and sulfuric acids. It is used to make dynamite and in medicine to dilate blood vessels. Chemical formula: C3H5N3O9.