nitrate
n. C / Un. a chemical compound often found in soil and used in fertilizers to help plants grow. You might also see it mentioned as a preservative in foods like bacon or ham.
n. a salt or ester of nitric acid, containing the NO3− group. Commonly utilized in agricultural fertilizers and as a food preservative to inhibit bacterial growth.
Farmers use nitrates to help their crops grow faster.
High levels of nitrate in the local well water suggested that fertilizer from nearby farms was leaking into the ground.
The industrial synthesis of nitrates revolutionized global agriculture by providing a reliable source of nitrogen, though excessive runoff now poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems through eutrophication.
From French nitrate.
Uncountable when referring to the chemical substance in general; countable when referring to specific chemical varieties or salts.