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
"Nitrogen makes up most of Earth's atmosphere and is an essential component of every living cell."
The chemical element (symbol N) with an atomic number of 7 and atomic weight of 14.0067. It is a colorless and odorless gas.
"Nitrogen, the second most abundant component of Earth's atmosphere, exists as a colorless and odorless gas at standard conditions."
In plain English: Nitrogen is a gas that makes up most of the air we breathe and helps plants grow strong.
"The air we breathe contains about 78 percent nitrogen."
Usage: Nitrogen refers to the specific, naturally occurring gas that makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere rather than any other element with similar properties. Use this term when discussing air composition or industrial applications like fertilizer production instead of generic words for "gas.
The word nitrogen comes from the French term coined in 1790 by Jean-Antoine Chaptal. It combines the Latin root for "nitre" with a suffix meaning "producer," literally describing a substance that generates nitre.