salinity

American  

[suh-lin-i-tee] / səˈlɪn ɪ ti /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being salty; saltiness.

   Ocean currents are driven by differences in the temperature and salinity of the water.

2. a measurement of the amount of salt in a given solution.

   Adding fresh water to a marsh lowers salinity.

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Other Word Forms

• hypersalinity
  noun
• nonsalinity
  noun
• subsalinity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of salinity

salin(e) ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Explanation

The word salinity can mean the relative proportion of salt in a solution. Increasing the salinity of a solution will make it sterile, which is why it is often used in medical procedures. The noun salinity is derived from the word saline thought to come from the Latin word salinium meaning "salt cellar" and the suffix ity meaning "condition or quality of being." Mixing salt with water makes a solution with high salinity, which has a sterilizing effect when used in medicine. Salinity is also associated with taste and food. You'll want to avoid foods with high salinity if you have high blood pressure.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

salinity

The olive brine acts almost like a finishing seasoning, bringing acidity and salinity that brighten the entire dish.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

When discharged back into the ocean, brine can damage marine ecosystems by increasing salinity and reducing oxygen levels.

From Science Daily ● May 31, 2026

Rising sea levels and surging tides from increasingly powerful storms -- resulting in an increase in soil salinity -- have degraded agricultural lands, pushing people into tiger territory.

From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026

Factors that vary widely throughout the region—such as seafloor topography, temperature, salinity and the presence of fresh water from melting ice—can play havoc with sonar signals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

And ocean salinity of course represented only the merest sliver of my ignorance.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson