Salem

American  

[sey-luhm] / ˈseɪ ləm /

noun

1. a seaport in northeastern Massachusetts: founded 1626; site of witch hunt 1692–93; home of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

2. a city in and the capital of Oregon, in the northwestern part, on the Willamette River.

3. a town in southeastern New Hampshire.

4. a town in southwestern Virginia, near Roanoke.

5. a city in eastern Ohio.

6. a city in central Tamil Nadu, in southern India.

7. an ancient city of Canaan, later identified with Jerusalem. Genesis 14:18; Psalms 76:2.

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Salem British  

/ ˈseɪləm /

noun

1. a city in S India, in Tamil Nadu: textile industries. Pop: 693 236 (2001)

2. a city in NE Massachusetts, on the Atlantic: scene of the execution of 19 people after the witch hunts of 1692. Pop: 42 067 (2003 est)

3. a city in the NW USA, the state capital of Oregon: food-processing. Pop: 142 914 (2003 est)

4. an Old Testament name for Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18; Psalms 76:2) See Jerusalem

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Etymology

Origin of Salem

From Late Latin Salem, from Greek Salḗm, from Hebrew Shālēm, a name of uncertain origin and meaning, but traditionally interpreted as a synonym of Jerusalem and associated in meaning with shālōm “peace”; see also Jerusalem ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Salem

He traveled in a van with Abdel-Rahman and Emad Salem, the government informant who later became a key witness in the federal case against Abdel-Rahman.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

For half a century, Deidre Hall has taken on every kind of disaster in the drama-packed town of Salem, Ill., as a star of “Days of Our Lives.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

On social media, Law's Bricks & Minifigs franchise in Salem, Oregon, advertised the acquisition as "one of the largest, most valuable privately held collections of Star WarsTM Lego© in the world".

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

"We have never heard of such prices in our lives," Ahmed Abu Salem, a resident of Gaza City, told AFP.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

Later that same morning a boy brought Nat a note from Nathan Read, who had opened an apothecary shop in Salem.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham