salty
Americanadjective
-
racy or coarse.
salty humor.
-
of the sea, sailing, or life at sea.
salty tales of adventure on the high seas.
-
Slang. (especially of a sailor) toughened by experience.
proud and salty Marines.
-
Slang. angry, upset, or hostile, especially due to embarrassment or failure.
He gets all salty whenever he loses.
adjective
-
of, tasting of, or containing salt
-
(esp of humour) sharp; piquant
-
relating to life at sea
Usage
What else does salty mean? Salty is a slang term for irritated, angry, or resentful, especially as a result of losing or being slighted. This sense of salty originates in and was popularized by Black English.
Other Word Forms
- oversalty adjective
- saltily adverb
- saltiness noun
- unsalty adjective
Etymology
Origin of salty
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at salt 1, -y 1
Explanation
Potato chips and sea captains are salty. Salty can mean literally covered in salt like those delicious chips, or just crotchety, like a foul-mouthed skipper. You can't drink sea water because it's so salty — but it may be hard for you to eat certain foods when they're not salty enough. Colloquially, you can use this adjective to mean "down-to-earth," "aggressive," or "exciting." So for example you could describe a movie pirate who's tough and blunt-spoken as salty. The "exciting or provocative" meaning dates from the 1860s, from the sense of "giving life or strong flavor."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Americans are eating more salty and function-driven snacks, while traditional sweets—particularly chocolate—face growing pressure.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
The surface contains widespread chloride deposits left behind by ancient salty water.
From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026
In fact, I prefer my yogurt extra salty over sweet.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
At this one, happy hour is frequented by local folks — a few of them salty dogs from the marina nearby.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Cat remembered how weird it had seemed when Mom had breathed in the salty air.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
