Crossword Genius

Nitre treated like nitrogen (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

inert

'like nitrogen' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'nitre treated' is the wordplay.
'treated' is an anagram indicator.
'nitre' with letters rearranged gives 'INERT'.

(Other definitions for inert that I've seen before include "Like e.g. xenon" , "(Chem.) not reactive" , "Incapable of acting, like some gas" , "Not chemically reactive" , "Motionless, still" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian, The Globe and Mail and The Telegraph.
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