Meanings
plural niters · alternative UK nitre
- UScountableuncountablechemistryA mineral form of potassium nitrate (saltpetre) used in making gunpowder.
- countableobsoleteuncountableNative sodium carbonate; natron.
Synonyms & antonyms
noun(KNO3) used especially as a fertilizer and explosive
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Egyptiannṯrj“natron”
- Ancient Greekνίτρον
- Latinnitrum“native soda, natron”
- Old Frenchnitre
- Middle Englishniter
- Englishniter
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. Compare reconstructed Proto-Germanic *lauþrą (“nitre”) related to Modern English lye.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech ledek, sanytr
- ledekpotassium nitrate
- sanytrpotassium nitrate
Esperanto salpetro, natro
- salpetropotassium nitrate
- natrosodium carbonate
French salpêtre
- salpêtrepotassium nitrate
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with niter
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
niter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/niter
“niter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/niter. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “niter,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/niter.
Source: niter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.