nitrogen cycle

noun

The natural circulation of nitrogen, in which atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides by lightning and deposited in the soil by rain, where it is assimilated by plants and either eaten by animals (and returned as faeces) or decomposed back to elemental nitrogen by bacteria.

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Meanings

noun
  1. The natural circulation of nitrogen, in which atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides by lightning and deposited in the soil by rain, where it is assimilated by plants and either eaten by animals (and returned as faeces) or decomposed back to elemental nitrogen by bacteria.

Translations

Finnish typen kierto, typpikierto
  • typen kiertonatural circulation of nitrogen
  • typpikiertonatural circulation of nitrogen
Irish timthriall nítrigine
  • timthriall nítriginenatural circulation of nitrogen
Japanese 窒素循環
  • 窒素循環 (chisso junkan)natural circulation of nitrogen
Māori hurihanga hauota
  • hurihanga hauotanatural circulation of nitrogen
Polish cykl azotowy, cykl nitryfikacyjny
  • cykl azotowynatural circulation of nitrogen
  • cykl nitryfikacyjnynatural circulation of nitrogen
Cite this entry
APA

nitrogen cycle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nitrogen%20cycle

MLA

“nitrogen cycle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nitrogen%20cycle. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nitrogen cycle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nitrogen%20cycle.

Source: nitrogen cycle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.