Phrase guide

nitrogen fixation

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia and organic derivatives, by natural means, especially such conversion, by microorganisms in the soil, into a form that can be assimilated by plants.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the assimilation of atmospheric nitrogen by soil bacteria and its release for plant use on the death of the bacteria

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: organic process, biological process

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 固氮作用 (gùdàn zuòyòng) — the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen
  • Danish: nitrogenfiksering — the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen
  • Finnish: typensidonta — the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen
  • Greek: αζωτοδέσμευση (azotodésmefsi) — the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen
  • Italian: azotofissazione — the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen