niter

Meaning

1. (US, countable, uncountable) A mineral form of potassium nitrate (saltpetre) used in making gunpowder.
2. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Native sodium carbonate; natron.

Synonyms

saltpeter

nitre

potassium nitrate

saltpetre

salpetre

nitrel

Nitrum

nitrokalite

Translations

salpeter

salnitro

nitro

salitre

nitre

salpêtre

nitrato di potassio

NaNO3

salitre

nitrato de potássio

Nitrato de potassio

nitrat potàsic

güherçile

salnitre

Etymology

From Middle English niter, nitere, nitre, nytre, from Old French nitre, from Latin nitrum (“native soda, natron”), from Ancient Greek νίτρον (nítron). Ultimately from Egyptian nṯrj (“natron”). Doublet of natron and trona. Compare also natrium, nitrogen.