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 oxide

Examples of nitrous oxide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Little Shop of Horrors stars Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn, a floral shop employee in love with his co-worker, Audrey (Ellen Greene), who is also being pursued by a sadistic dentist addicted to nitrous oxide (Steve Martin). —Ars Technica, 31 Oct. 2024

By Alison Van Houten October 30, 2024 7:45 AM EDT Although carbon dioxide takes center stage in greenhouse gas talk, nitrous oxide (N2O) is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture and third biggest overall. —Alison Van Houten, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024

Whippets are small cartridges that contain nitrous oxide, whose recreational use dates back to the late 1770s. —Katixa Espinoza, Them, 10 Oct. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

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