Definition

A colorless gas with a strong smell, made of nitrogen and hydrogen, commonly used to make fertilizers and other chemicals.

Example

Ammonia is commonly used in agriculture as a fertilizer.

Conversation

Have you ever worked with ammonia in science class?

Yeah, we used it for some experiments. It has such a strong smell!

Right? I was surprised by how quickly it dissolves in water.

Absolutely! It's fascinating how useful ammonia is in so many industries.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ammonia comes from the Latin 'ammoniacus' (meaning of Ammon), which is derived from the Greek 'ammoniakos' (meaning related to Ammon). The name refers to the salt produced from the ashes of the plant that grew near the Temple of Ammon in ancient Egypt. The word 'ammonia' refers to the compound derived from this source.

Memory Tip

Think of the connection to 'Ammon' — the name of the ancient Egyptian god — to remember that ammonia is related to the salt from the ashes of plants near his temple.

Visually Confused Words