Saltpetre
tər noun
1.
the form of potassium nitrate, KNO 3 , that occurs naturally, used in the manufacture of fireworks, fluxes, gunpowder, etc.; niter.
Also, salt·pe·tre.
Origin:
1275–1325; earlier salt peter; replacing Middle English sal peter, salpetre < Medieval Latin salpetrē, for Latin sal petrae salt of rock, so called because it commonly encrusts stones
1275–1325; earlier salt peter; replacing Middle English sal peter, salpetre < Medieval Latin salpetrē, for Latin sal petrae salt of rock, so called because it commonly encrusts stones
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To saltpetre
Collins
World English Dictionary
saltpetre or (US) saltpeter (ˌsɔːltˈpiːtə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | another name for potassium nitrate |
| 2. | short for Chile saltpetre |
| [C16: from Old French salpetre, from Latin sal petrae salt of rock] | |
| saltpeter or (US) saltpeter | |
| —n | |
| [C16: from Old French salpetre, from Latin sal petrae salt of rock] | |
00:10
Saltpetre
is always a great word to know.
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| saltpetre or (US) saltpeter (ˌsɔːltˈpiːtə) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | another name for potassium nitrate |
| 2. | short for Chile saltpetre |
| [C16: from Old French salpetre, from Latin sal petrae salt of rock] | |
| saltpeter or (US) saltpeter | |
| —n | |
| [C16: from Old French salpetre, from Latin sal petrae salt of rock] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
saltpeter
"potassium nitrate," c.1500, earlier salpetre (early 14c.), from O.Fr. salpetre, from M.L. sal petrae "salt of rock," from L. sal "salt" (see salt) + petra "rock, stone." So called because it looks like salt encrusted on rock.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
saltpeter  (sôlt'pē'tər) Pronunciation Key
See potassium nitrate. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Nearby Words
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