nitrocellulose

noun

highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or to another nitrating agent

Wiktionary

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Egyptian nṯrjder. Semiticbor. Ancient Greek νῐ́τρον (nĭ́tron) English nitro- Proto-Indo-European *ḱel-der. Latin cella Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ula Latin cellulabor. French cellule French -ose French cellulosebor. English cellulose English nitrocellulose From nitro- + cellulose.

A cotton-like material, made from cellulose by the action of nitric and sulphuric acids, used in the manufacture of explosives, collodion etc.