Saltpeter
/ˈsɔːltˌpiːtər/noun
A naturally occurring nitrate mineral, especially potassium nitrate, used in fertilizers, explosives, and historical medicines.
Did you know?Saltpeter was once scraped from walls and stables as a prized nitrate source, making a humble mineral part of both medieval medicine and early explosives.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
sealt
“salt”
Middle English
ME
saltpetre
“saltpeter, a nitrate salt”
Late Middle English
ME
salt petre
“salt stone or salt rock; a nitrate mineral”
Modern English
English
saltpeter
“potassium nitrate or related nitrate salts”