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natron

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Etymology and origin of the French word natron

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1653 La Boullaye-Le Gouz More words from the 17th century
Borrowed from
Arabic نطرون
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek νίτρον
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French natron
English natron

Pronunciation

  • /na.tʁɔ̃/[1]

Forms

natron m (uncountable)[1] Also natrum (1765, in the Encyclopédie).[2][3] The earliest record has the spelling naitron (1653).[4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Arabic نطرون (naṭrūn), the name of the same substance.[4][2][5] Rey, the Robert dictionaries and Wiktionary bring it through Spanish natrón,[6][3][7][1] while the TLFi and the GLLF give the Arabic word as the direct source;[4][2][8] Etymonline also says it is said to come straight from Arabic.[4][2][8] The Arabic word goes back to Ancient Greek νίτρον (nítron, “nitre”),[1][8] the source of French nitre.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

La Boullaye-Le Gouz's travels (1653) describe naitron as a salty stone found in Egypt.[4] The form natron is found in 1665, in Colbert's privilege for the mirror-glass works.[4][6][2]

Semantic evolution

The word names a natural, hydrated sodium carbonate found in desert soils and some waters, used for glass and soap and, in ancient Egypt, for preserving mummies.[4][6] The variant natrum is recorded in 1765.[3][2]

The chemists' New Latin natrium, a Latin form taken from the Spanish word, passed into French in 1842 as a name for sodium; it explains the symbol Na.[6] The adjective natronné describes soils containing natron, especially in the Sahel.[6]

English natron is recorded from the 1680s and comes from the French word.[8]

Timeline

  • 1653 – La Boullaye-Le Gouz writes naitron.[4]
  • 1665 – Natron in a privilege granted by Colbert.[4][6]
  • 1765 – The variant natrum in the Encyclopédie.[2][3]
  • 1842 – natrium is used in French for sodium.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (chemistry, mineralogy) natron: a natural hydrated sodium carbonate, found in desert regions and some waters, used to make glass and soap and formerly to preserve mummies.[4][7][2]

Word family

  • natronné

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 19, 140a
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Natron.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/natron. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·