nitre noun. ['nʌɪtǝ] Also *niter. LME.
[Old & mod. French from Latin nitrum from Greek nitron, of Semitic origin or from Egyptian ntrj. In AV rendering Hebrew neer. Cf. NATRON.]
1. Potassium nitrate, saltpetre. Formerly also, native sodium carbonate, washing soda. LME.
Bible (AV): Jeremiah 2:22 For though thou wash thee with nitre,..yet thine iniquitie is marked before me.

2. A vital substance presumed to be present in the air and in rain. M17-L18.
■ R. South It is not the bare water that fructifies, but a secret spirit or nitre descending with it.

3. A deposit of malic acid produced during the refining of maple syrup. L19.
Phrases: cubic nitre: see CUBIC adjective 2. fixed nitre potassium carbonate. SODA nitre.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲