saltpeter
or salt·pe·tre
[ sawlt-pee-ter ]
/ ˌsɔltˈpi tər /
noun
the form of potassium nitrate, KNO3, that occurs naturally, used in the manufacture of fireworks, fluxes, gunpowder, etc.; niter.
Origin of saltpeter
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
Words nearby saltpeter
saltless,
saltness,
salto,
salton sea,
saltpan,
saltpeter,
saltpetre,
salts,
saltus,
saltwater,
saltwater taffy
Example sentences from the Web for saltpeter
Scientific definitions for saltpeter
saltpeter
[ sôlt′pē′tər ]
See potassium nitrate.