saltpeter
UK[ˌsɒltˈpiːtə]US[ˌsɒltˈpiːtər]
n
A white crystalline substance, potassium nitrate, used in preserving meat and in making gunpowder and fertilizers.
Morpheme Breakdown
salt
peter
salt
salt
peter
rock
Etymology
The word "saltpeter" is a compound formed from the English words "salt" and "peter" (an archaic term for rock or stone, from Greek petra). It literally means "salt of rock" or "stone salt," a name which directly describes its natural occurrence as a mineral crust or deposit resembling salt. The term entered English via Medieval Latin sal petrae. This etymology perfectly captures the substance's dual characteristics: its saline, mineral composition and its geological origin as a crystalline encrustation found on rocks or in caves.
Analysis
Structure: salt + peter
- salt: From Old English sealt, meaning "salt". In this compound, it refers to the salty or mineral nature of the substance.
- peter: From Medieval Latin petra, meaning "rock" or "stone" (from Greek petra). In this compound, it refers to the stone-like crystalline form or its mineral origin.
Examples
Historically, saltpeter was a crucial ingredient for manufacturing gunpowder.
The cave walls were coated with a white deposit of saltpeter.
Farmers in the past sometimes used saltpeter as a fertilizer to improve crop yields.