potassium nitrate

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a crystalline compound, KNO 3 , produced by nitrification in soil, and used in gunpowders, fertilizers, and preservatives; saltpeter; niter.

potassium nitrate

noun

1. a colourless or white crystalline compound used in gunpowders, pyrotechnics, fertilizers, and as a preservative for foods, esp as a curing salt for ham, sausages, etc ( E252 ). Formula: KNO 3 Also calledsaltpetrenitre

potassium nitrate

1. A transparent, white, crystalline compound and strong oxidizing agent. It is used in gunpowder and fireworks, in making glass, and in fertilizer. Also called saltpeter. Chemical formula: KNO 3 .
2. See also niter

Word History and Origins

Origin of potassium nitrate¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

A mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal and sulfur, black powder is a type of explosive that can be made simply at home with household products and other chemicals available online.

From Los Angeles Times

Among the materials found inside a vehicle on the property were 74 pounds of potassium nitrate, 15 pounds of aluminum powder, six pounds of magnesium and about 12 pounds of homemade aerial shells.

From Seattle Times

Black powder, first formulated in China more than a millennium ago, is a mixture of sulphur, carbon and potassium nitrate.

From Washington Times

Then, around 800 B.C., an alchemist allegedly mixed sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate in a search for eternal life— instead, the mixture led to gunpowder.

From Salon

He could tell just from picking up a toothpaste tube whether it contained potassium nitrate.

From Literature