silver nitrate
noun Chemistry, Pharmacology.
a white, crystalline, water-soluble, bitter, corrosive, poisonous powder, AgNO3, produced by the reaction of silver and dilute nitric acid: used chiefly in the manufacture of photographic emulsions and mirrors, as a laboratory reagent, and in medicine as an antiseptic, astringent, and in the routine prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum.
Origin of silver nitrate
First recorded in 1880–85
Words nearby silver nitrate
silver leaf,
silver lining,
silver maple,
silver medal,
silver mound,
silver nitrate,
silver paper,
silver perch,
silver plate,
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silver poplar
British Dictionary definitions for silver nitrate
silver nitrate
noun
a white crystalline soluble poisonous substance used in making photographic emulsions, other silver salts, and as a medical antiseptic and astringent. Formula: AgNO 3
See also lunar caustic
Medical definitions for silver nitrate
silver nitrate
n.
A poisonous crystalline compound with antiseptic and astringent properties, used in the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum and in the special staining of nervous tissue, spirochetes, and reticular fibers.
Scientific definitions for silver nitrate
silver nitrate
A poisonous, clear, crystalline compound that darkens when exposed to light. It is used in photography and silver plating, and as an external antiseptic. Chemical formula: AgNO3.