nitrate
nitrate, any member of either of two classes of compounds derived from nitric acid, HNO3. The salts of nitric acid are ionic compounds containing the nitrate ion, NO-3, and a positive ion, such as NH4+ in ammonium nitrate. Esters of nitric acid are covalent compounds having the structure RβOβNO2, in which R represents an organic combining group, such as ethyl (C2H5) in ethyl nitrate. See also nitro compound.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title:
nitrate
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
02 November 2026
Access Date:
November 14, 2026