salty

[sawl-tee]

adjective

saltier, saltiest 

1. tasting of or containing salt; saline.

2. piquant; sharp; witty.

3. racy or coarse.

   salty humor.

4. of the sea, sailing, or life at sea.

   salty tales of adventure on the high seas.

5. Slang.,  (especially of a sailor) toughened by experience.

   proud and salty Marines.

6. Slang.,  angry, upset, or hostile, especially due to embarrassment or failure.

   He gets all salty whenever he loses.

salty

/ ˈsɔːltɪ /

adjective

1. of, tasting of, or containing salt

2. (esp of humour) sharp; piquant

3. relating to life at sea

Other Word Forms

• saltily adverb
• saltiness noun
• oversalty adjective
• unsalty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of salty¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; salt ¹, -y ¹

Example Sentences

"I was found to be inappropriate in my professionalism," he said, "and that has to do with the use of salty language and my use of social media."

From BBC

The mix of creamy, salty, and bright flavors hits like summer on a plate.

From Salon

I bucked the trend and mashed garlic and tomato together on that airy, comfortably salty focaccia.

From Salon

“When researchers consider the classic five categories of taste — sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami — there’s little disagreement over which of them is the least understood,” wrote Katherine J. Wu for The Atlantic.

From Salon

The kind of pickles you use also matters, as some brines lean more sweeter, while others are saltier.

From Salon

Related Words

• alkaline 
• briny 
• pungent 
• saline 
• salted 
• sour 

When To Use

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.