Nitre
/ˈnaɪtər/noun
A naturally occurring mineral form of potassium nitrate, historically used in fertilizers, gunpowder, and chemistry.
Did you know?In older English and biblical translation traditions, *nitre* could refer to a naturally occurring salt used for cleansing, and it later became entangled with the history of nitrate chemistry and explosive powder.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egyptian / Semitic
Semitic
ntr
“A term associated with natron-like mineral salts used in cleansing and preservation”
Ancient Greek
Greek
nítron
“Natron or a natural mineral alkali”
Latin
Latin
nitrum
“Natron; a natural alkaline salt”
Middle English
English
nitre
“A mineral salt, especially a saltpeter-like substance”
Modern English
English
nitre
“Potassium nitrate or a related naturally occurring nitrate mineral”