Nitric
/ˈnaɪtrɪk/noun
Relating to or containing nitrogen, especially in compounds derived from nitric acid.
Did you know?Nitric comes through Latin nitrum and Greek nitron, words for a natural soda/mineral used in cleaning and glassmaking, not from anything mystical—though its acid later became infamous in alchemy and industry.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
nitron
“Natural soda or natron, a mineral salt used for washing and cleaning”
Latin
Latin
nitrum
“Natron, soda, or a similar alkaline mineral”
Late Latin / Medieval Latin
Latin
nitricus
“Of or pertaining to nitre”
17th Century
English
nitric
“Relating to nitre or nitric acid”
Modern English
English
nitric
“Relating to nitrogen compounds, especially nitric acid or nitrates”