Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: salpetre, from Medieval Latin sal petrae 'salt of the rocks'

saltpetre

 noun
     
Related topics: Chemistry
salt‧pe‧tre British English ; saltpeter American English [uncountable]
HCPMW a substance used in making gunpowder (=powder that causes explosions) and matches
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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