salty

[ sawl-tee ]

/ ˈsɔl ti /

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See synonyms for: salty / saltiness on Thesaurus.com

adjective, salt·i·er, salt·i·est.

tasting of or containing salt; saline.

piquant; sharp; witty.

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.

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Origin of salty

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at salt¹, -y¹

OTHER WORDS FROM salty

salt·i·ly, adverbsalt·i·ness, nouno·ver·salt·y, adjectiveun·salt·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use salty in a sentence

In savory dishes oranges can balance bitter, salty and strong flavors.
Harness the bright sweetness of oranges in these 7 recipes|Kari Sonde|November 9, 2020|Washington Post
When researchers simulated that interaction in the lab by shooting electrons at salty ice samples, the ice glowed.
Jupiter’s icy moon Europa may glow in the dark|Maria Temming|November 9, 2020|Science News
The small trees’ tolerance for salty, wind-blasted shores impresses biologists.
How passion, luck and sweat saved some of North America’s rarest plants|Susan Milius|November 5, 2020|Science News
It’s something crunchier, saltier and worth celebrating a second time.
Homemade, seasoned breadcrumbs add crunch and flavor to pastas, vegetables and more|Jesse Szewczyk|October 30, 2020|Washington Post

The California mussel is found in very salty, low sediment areas from Alaska to Mexico.
14 wild edibles you can pull right out of the ocean|By Bob McNally/Field & Stream|October 19, 2020|Popular-Science
Mix thoroughly and taste; depending on the saltiness of the anchovy and capers, more salt may be desired.
How Top Chefs Stay Thin|Rachel Syme|December 15, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The saltiness of ricotta salata and olives make this simple root vegetable a meal.
What to Eat: Winter Salads|Cookstr.com|December 1, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The cheese is then placed in this bath and left for three to five days, depending on the saltiness desired.
The Book of Cheese|Charles Thom and Walter Warner Fisk
Mitaslup na ang kaparat sa isdà, The saltiness has penetrated deep into the flesh of the fish.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan|John U. Wolff
He lay and smelled gunpowder mingling with the saltiness of the bay and the evening incense of the earth.
The Lady of Fort St. John|Mary Hartwell Catherwood
Hence its saltiness and great specific gravity, a man floating in it—it is said—very readily.
Across America|James F. Rusling
A faint saltiness was perceptible in the air; and Stringer, moistening his dry lips, noted the saline taste.
The Yellow Claw|Sax Rohmer

British Dictionary definitions for salty

salty

/ (ˈsɔːltɪ) /

adjective saltier or saltiest

of, tasting of, or containing salt

(esp of humour) sharp; piquant

relating to life at sea

Derived forms of salty

saltily, adverbsaltiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

salty

Origin of salty

OTHER WORDS FROM salty

Words related to salty

How to use salty in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for salty

Derived forms of salty