'ammonia' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ammoniacus,' which referred to the salt of Ammon, a region in Libya.

'ammoniacus' transformed into the French word 'ammoniaque,' and eventually became the modern English word 'ammonia' through Middle English.

Initially, it referred to the salt of Ammon, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of a chemical compound used in cleaning and fertilizers.