Noun: nitre nI-tu(r)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: niter)
Usage: Brit, Cdn (US: niter)
- Crystalline salt (KNO₃), used especially as a fertilizer and explosive
"nitre was a crucial component in early gunpowder formulations";
- potassium nitrate, saltpeter [US], saltpetre [Brit, Cdn], niter [US]
Derived forms: nitres
Type of: nitrate
Part of: black powder, fertiliser [Brit], fertilizer, plant food
Encyclopedia: Nitre