noun
Etymology: translation of New Latin sal microcosmicus; from the fact that it was originally obtained from human urine
: a white crystalline salt NaNH 4 HPO 4 .4H 2 O that is obtained by mixing solutions of sodium phosphate and ammonium phosphate or chloride, that is changed to a sodium phosphate glass on heating, and that is used as a flux like borax in beads for testing for metallic oxides and salts; sodium ammonium hydrogen phosphate