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ammonia

/əˈmoʊniə/
/əˈmʌʊniə/
IPA guide

Other forms: ammonias

If you've ever used household cleaning products to tidy up your kitchen or bathroom, you've probably encountered ammonia — a pungent gas made of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH₃), known for its strong smell and, when mixed with water, its powerful cleaning abilities.

Ammonia is a colorless gas with a sharp, intense odor, widely used in both household and industrial settings. Beyond its role in cleaning products, where it’s prized for cutting through tough grime, ammonia is also a key ingredient in fertilizers, helping plants grow strong and healthy. Despite its benefits, exposure to ammonia can be irritating to the eyes and the respiratory system, so it’s important to handle it with care.

Definitions of ammonia
  1. noun
    a colorless, strong-smelling gas compounded of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH₃)
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    types:
    ammonium, ammonium ion
    a positively charged polyatomic ion of nitrogen and hydrogen found in many salts and fertilizers
    type of:
    binary compound
    chemical compound composed of only two elements
  2. noun
    a water solution of ammonia
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    type of:
    liquid
    a substance that is liquid at room temperature and pressure
Pronunciation
US
/əˈmoʊniə/
UK
/əˈmʌʊniə/
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