gunpowder
UK /ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdə/ · US /ˈɡʌnˌpaʊdɚ/ noun, verb
Forms gunpowders gunpowdering gunpowdered
- noun An explosive mixture of saltpetre (potassium nitrate), charcoal and sulfur; formerly used in gunnery but now mostly used in fireworks.
- verb (transitive) To destroy with gunpowder.
- noun (India, informal) Idli podi/milagai podi; ground-up dry spices mixed with oil and ghee and served alongside idli or dosa.
Synonyms
Etymology
Possibly due to its smell resembling gunpowder during the British Raj.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “gunpowder”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details