hartshorn


harts·horn

H0075150 (härts′hôrn′)n.1. The antler of a hart, formerly used as a source of ammonia and in smelling salts.2. See ammonium carbonate.

hartshorn

(ˈhɑːtsˌhɔːn) n (Elements & Compounds) an obsolete name for sal volatile2[Old English heortes horn hart's horn (formerly a chief source of ammonia)]

harts•horn

(ˈhɑrtsˌhɔrn)

n. 1. the antler of a hart, formerly used as a source of ammonia. 2. ammonium carbonate. [before1000]

Hartshorn

At one time, shavings from a horn of a Hart. By the early twentieth century, spirits of hartshorn meant an aqueous solution of ammonia, and salt of hartshorn was an impure ammonium carbonate. By the late 1930s, “salt” had been dropped and hartshorn generally meant ammonium carbonate.