Hypertext Webster Gateway: "nitrogen"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Nitrogen \Ni`tro*gen\, n. [L. nitrum natron + -gen: cf. F.
nitrog[`e]ne. See {Niter}.] (Chem.)
A colorless nonmetallic element, tasteless and odorless,
comprising four fifths of the atmosphere by volume. It is
chemically very inert in the free state, and as such is
incapable of supporting life (hence the name {azote} still
used by French chemists); but it forms many important
compounds, as ammonia, nitric acid, the cyanides, etc, and is
a constituent of all organized living tissues, animal or
vegetable. Symbol N. Atomic weight 14. It was formerly
regarded as a permanent noncondensible gas, but was liquefied
in 1877 by Cailletet of Paris, and Pictet of Geneva.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
nitrogen
n : a common nonmetallic element that is normally a colorless
odorless tasteless inert diatomic gas; constitutes 78
percent of the atmosphere by volume; a constituent of all
living tissues [syn: {N}, {atomic number 7}]
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