Natronate
/ˈneɪ.trə.neɪt/noun
A salt or compound derived from natron or natronic acid, an obsolete chemical term.
Did you know?Natron, the mineral behind the word, was used by ancient Egyptians to dry and preserve bodies during mummification, while its name ultimately traces through Greek and Arabic forms connected with mineral alkali.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egyptian
Egyptian
nṯr
“A word associated with the divine or sacred; often proposed as an early source connected with the later name for natron, though the exact historical pathway is debated.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
nítron
“Natural soda or mineral alkali, used in washing and other practical processes.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
natron
“Natron, a naturally occurring alkaline mineral, especially sodium carbonate.”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
naṭrūn
“Natron or mineral alkali; the form that helped transmit the term into later European languages.”
18th Century
English
natron
“A naturally occurring sodium carbonate mineral.”
Modern English
English
natronate
“A chemical derivative or salt of natron or natronic acid, formed with the productive suffix -ate.”