Synonyms

nitroglycerin

American

[nahy-truh-glis-er-in] / ˌnaɪ trəˈglɪs ər ɪn /

Also nitroglycerine

noun

Chemistry, Pharmacology.

a colorless, thick, oily, flammable, highly explosive, slightly water-soluble liquid, C 3 H 5 N 3 O 9 , 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.

nitroglycerin Scientific

/ 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: C ₃ H ₅ N ₃ O ₉ .

First recorded in 1855–60; nitro- + glycerin

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And assembling a courtroom mosaic to portray a capital defendant is like handling nitroglycerin.

From Washington Post

He tore open two packets of nitroglycerin and poured the contents down my throat.

From Fox News

I also placed verbal orders for bringing morphine, aspirin and nitroglycerin to the bedside.

From Seattle Times

She made her way to the kitchen and bathroom, looking for nitroglycerin, the only medicine that relieved the pain.

From New York Times

Sildenafil has the ability to react with nitrates in some prescription drugs, namely nitroglycerin.

From Fox News

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023