isobutyl nitrite

9.9

A strong smelling liquid people inhale for a short high that can be dangerous

noun
/ˌaɪsoʊˈbjuːtɪl ˈnaɪtraɪt/

NSFW

: nitrito de isobutil

Some club-goers use isobutyl nitrite for its brief euphoric and relaxing effects.

Examples

Exposure to isobutyl nitrite can cause dizziness, headaches, and other short-term health effects.
The isobutyl nitrite produced a strong odor in the room.
The possession and sale of isobutyl nitrite are regulated in many countries due to its potential misuse.
Many people use isobutyl nitrite for its stimulating effects.
Some club-goers use isobutyl nitrite for its brief euphoric and relaxing effects.
Exposure to isobutyl nitrite can cause dizziness, headaches, and other short-term health effects.
The possession and sale of isobutyl nitrite are regulated in many countries due to its potential misuse.

Synonyms

butyl nitrite

vsisobutyl nitrite

NSFW

9.0

A clear liquid that people sometimes inhale for a short feeling of pleasure

focuses on pungent scent and medical vasodilation rather than only inhaled recreation

Surface Forms

isobutyl nitrite singular

isobutyl nitrites plural

Morphology

isobutyl + nitrite

The form is compositionally regular: it names the nitrite derivative of an isobutyl group, so a learner who knows the morphemes could infer it is a chemical compound (a nitrite of isobutyl). However, the specific properties and uses (colorless, pungent liquid used recreationally/vasodilator) require domain knowledge of chemistry and usage patterns that a B1 learner would not predict from the parts alone, and the constituent 'isobutyl' is technical and often unknown.

Etymology

Isobutyl nitrite is a name built from three parts: iso-, which shows a special 'shape', butyl, meaning a 'four-carbon group', and nitrite, the chemical part that gives a strong, sharp smell. So the name points to a small, sharp-smelling liquid that is the colorless substance known today for brief recreational effects.