English
ammonia
Ammonia comes from Latin sal ammoniacus ‘salt of Amun, ammonium chloride’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsal ammoniacus‘salt of Amun, ammonium chloride’
- Englishearliest quotation 1887ammonia
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsal ammoniacus‘salt of Amun, ammonium chloride’
- Englishearliest quotation 1887ammonia
Earliest quotation: 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging: “Slowly we rode down to the camp - a…”
The story
From Latin sal ammoniacus (‘salt of Amun, ammonium chloride’), named so because it was found near the temple of (Jupiter) Ammon in Egypt. Ammon derives from Ancient Greek Ἄμμων (Ámmōn), from Egyptian jmn (i-mn:n-A4).
Every English word from Latin sal ammoniacus
Today it means
noun A gaseous, toxic compound of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH₃, with a pungent smell and taste.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin sal ammoniacus / ammonia