saltpetre
/ˈsɔːltpiːtə(ɹ)/ · noun
Meaning
- Potassium nitrate.
- Sodium nitrate.
- To treat with saltpetre.
Etymology / origin
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).
- sāl petrae(la-med)→
- salpetre(fro)→
- saltpetre(enm)→
- saltpetre (English)
- Relations: inh, der, der
Related words
Sources
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