n. 1. A colorless, pungent gas, NH3, extensively used to manufacture fertilizers and a wide variety of nitrogen-containing organic and inorganic chemicals. Ammonia is the chief nitrogen product excreted by fish and other aquatic animals. 2. See ammonium hydroxide. [New Latin, from Latin (sāl) ammōniacus, (salt) of Amen, from Greek Ammōniakos, from Ammōn, Amun (from its having been obtained from a region near the temple of Amun, in Libya), from Egyptian jmn.] |
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