LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

nitrum

nitrum n (genitive nitrī)
Classical[ˈnɪ.trũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈniː.trum]

Meaning

  1. neutervarious alkalis (especially soda ash)
    Semina vidi equidem multos medicare serentes Et nitro prius et nigra perfundere amurca, Grandior ut fetus siliquis fallacibus essetI likewise saw many steep seeds as they were sowing and, beforehand, treat them with alkalis and the dregs of black olive-oil, that bigger fruits may grow inside the deceitful pod, and they quickly boil to however small a fire.c. 37 BCE – 30 BCE, Vergilius, Georgicon 1.193–196

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativenitrumnitra
genitivenitrīnitrōrum
dativenitrōnitrīs
accusativenitrumnitra
ablativenitrōnitrīs
vocativenitrumnitra

nĭtrum, i, n., = νίτρον, also called sal nitrum,
I. native mineral alkali, native soda, natron; found chiefly in Media, Egypt, Thrace, and Macedonia, Plin. 31, 10, 46, § 106: flos nitri, Vitr. 7, 11, 1; and used for washing with: laveris te nitro, Vulg. Jer. 2, 22; Isid. Orig. 16, 2.—Hence,
II. Transf.: censuram lomentum aut nitrum esse, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 14, 4.

Origins

From Ancient Greek νίτρον (nítron), from Semitic.

Descendants
  • Catalannitre
  • Frenchnitre
  • Italiannitro
  • Portuguesenitro
  • Spanishnitro
  • Galiciannitro

Quick answers

What does nitrum mean in Latin?
nitrum, a noun, means “various alkalis (especially soda ash)”.
What is the genitive of nitrum?
The genitive singular is nitrī. nitrum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce nitrum?
In classical Latin, [ˈnɪ.trũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈniː.trum].