As for nitrate, Egyptian and Hebrew words for it had the consonants n-t-r, indicating likely cognation in the Greek nitron, which was Latinised to nitrum or nitrium. Thence Old French had niter and Middle English nitre. By the 15th century, Europeans referred to it as saltpetre, specifically Indian saltpetre (Chilean saltpetre is sodium nitrate) and later as nitrate of potash, as the chemistry of the compound was more fully understood.
As for nitrate, Egyptian and Hebrew words for it had the consonants n-t-r, indicating likely cognation :in the Greek nitron, whi:ch was Latinised to nitrum or nitrium. Thence Old French had niter and Middle English nitre. By the 15th? century, Europeans referred to it as saltpetre, specifically Indian saltpetre? (Chilean saltpetre is s!odium nitrate) and later as nitrate of potash, as the chemistry of the compound was more fully understood.