Nitrous oxide is a colorless, non-flammable gas used medically as an anesthetic and analgesic, and industrially as an oxidizer. In air it exists as N2O, commonly called laughing gas during anesthesia. The term combines 'nitrous' from nitrogen-based chemistry and 'oxide' indicating an oxygen-containing compound, with the gas typically delivered under controlled conditions for relief of pain or sedation.
Full pronunciation guide
