nitric bacterium
- noun
- /ˈnaɪtrɪk ˈbæktɪriəm/
- Specialized
:
bacteria nitrificante
- The presence of nitric bacterium in soil helps maintain soil fertility by converting nitrites to nitrates.
Examples
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Scientists studied the role of nitric bacterium in wastewater treatment plants.
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The nitric bacterium is essential for soil health.
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Without the activity of nitric bacterium, the nitrogen cycle would be severely disrupted.
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Did you know that nitric bacteria convert nitrites to nitrates?
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The presence of nitric bacterium in soil helps maintain soil fertility by converting nitrites to nitrates.
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Scientists studied the role of nitric bacterium in wastewater treatment plants.
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Without the activity of nitric bacterium, the nitrogen cycle would be severely disrupted.
Synonyms
A bacterium that turns nitrite into nitrate in soil
Bacteria in soil that change nitrites into nitrates and help plants grow
Bacteria in soil that change nitrites into nitrates for plants to use
A small soil bacterium that turns nitrite into nitrate to help plants in the nitrogen cycle
A soil bacterium that changes ammonia into forms plants can use
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning — a bacterium associated with nitrogen/oxidized nitrogen compounds — is directly compositional: the adjective 'nitric' qualifies 'bacterium' to indicate relation to nitrogen chemistry. Although somewhat technical vocabulary, the adjective + noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically transparent, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Nitric bacterium comes from the words nitric, which refers to 'nitrate', and bacterium, a tiny living cell, so the name gives a clear picture of a small organism that makes 'nitrate'. That's why the name means a bacterium that turns 'nitrite' into 'nitrate' and helps soil and water by keeping the nitrogen cycle working.
