saltpetre

English

Alternative forms

• saltpeter (US)

Etymology

From Middle English saltpetre, alteration of Old French salpetre, from Medieval Latin sāl petrae (“salt of the rock”), named so being found as an incrustation. Alteration of the first element is from folk-etymological association with salt (which is, nevertheless, cognate to Latin sāl).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔːltpiːtə(ɹ)/, /sɔːltˈpiːtə(ɹ)/

Noun

saltpetre (usually uncountable, plural saltpetres)

1. (originally) Potassium nitrate.
2. (uncommon) Sodium nitrate.

Synonyms

• (potassium nitrate): Chilean saltpeter/Chilean saltpetre, nitrate of potash, niter/nitre, potassium nitrate
• (sodium nitrate): caliche, Chile saltpeter/Chile saltpetre, soda niter/soda nitre, sodium nitrate

Derived terms

• Chile saltpetre
• Chilean saltpetre
• Norway salpetre

Translations

potassium nitrate — see potassium nitrate

sodium nitrate — see sodium nitrate

Verb

saltpetre (third-person singular simple present saltpetres, present participle saltpetring, simple past and past participle saltpetred)

1. (transitive) To treat with saltpetre.

Anagrams

• saltpeter