1) Compound word 2) Niter 3) Nitre 4) Saltpetre 1) Gunpowder component 2) Gunpowder compound 3) Gunpowder ingredient 4) Niter 5) Nitrate 6) Nitre 7) Potassium nitrate 8) Saltpetre 
• (n.) Alt. of Saltpetre
Common name for potassium nitrate, in the context of geologic deposits, it may also be used to refer to other nitrate minerals such as calciumnitrate. ... (09 Oct 1997) ... 
Potassium nitrate. Originally found as an impurity in the sea salt used for curing meats
The name for potassium nitrate, which is used primarily in the meat industry to help preserve cured meats. It gives a distinctive pink color to hams and bacon. There are recent reports from the USDA that nitrates, and nitrites are carcinogenic.
Type: Term Pronunciation: sawlt′pē-ter Synonyms: potassium nitrate
Potassium nitrate
saltpeter Potassium nitrate; used especially as a component of gunpowder or as a food preservative. Saltpeter is a borrowing of Old Middle English salpetre [about A.D. 1300]; a borrowing of Old French, salpetre, a learned borrowing from Medieval Latin; also borrowed directly from Medieval Latin sal petrae,, 'salt of rock'; (Latin sal, 'salt' + petr...