-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
nitrous oxide
noun
: a colorless gas N2O that when inhaled produces loss of sensibility to pain preceded by exhilaration and sometimes laughter, that is used especially as an anesthetic in dentistry and as a fuel, and that is an atmospheric pollutant and greenhouse gas produced by combustion
called also laughing gas
compare nitric oxideExamples of nitrous oxide in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And of course, Dennis Hopper, huffing nitrous oxide as rapist, gang leader Frank Booth is a vision of male bestiality ripped out of a Francis Bacon painting (Lynch has acknowledged Bacon as a key influence on his work).
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025
Selling and purchasing nitrous oxide for its intended purpose is legal, but some states have outlawed recreational use of the gas.
—Rachel Hale, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
For the teams with the right ingredients, in this era of defensive football, an elite runner could be like injecting nitrous oxide in their engines.
—Ted Nguyen, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
The complaint lists numerous cases dating back to 2009 of drivers around the country causing injury and harm after inhaling nitrous oxide.
—Ben Dandridge-Lemco, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nitrous oxide
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Word History
First Known Use
1798, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near nitrous oxide
Cite this Entry
“Nitrous oxide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nitrous%20oxide. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
nitrous oxide
noun
: a colorless gas that when inhaled causes loss of the ability to feel pain and sometimes produces laughter and is used especially in dentistry
called also laughing gas
Medical Definition
nitrous oxide
noun
: a colorless gas N2O that when inhaled produces loss of sensibility to pain preceded by exhilaration and sometimes laughter and is used especially as an anesthetic in dentistry
called also laughing gas
More from Merriam-Webster on nitrous oxide
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nitrous oxide
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share