salty
Americanadjective
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racy or coarse.
salty humor.
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of the sea, sailing, or life at sea.
salty tales of adventure on the high seas.
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Slang. (especially of a sailor) toughened by experience.
proud and salty Marines.
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Slang. angry, upset, or hostile, especially due to embarrassment or failure.
He gets all salty whenever he loses.
adjective
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of, tasting of, or containing salt
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(esp of humour) sharp; piquant
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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; salt 1, -y 1
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.
It was the taste that filled his mouth every time his friends went viral around him—salty because it wasn’t his triumph, but at the same time, comfort food.
From Literature
In fact, I prefer my yogurt extra salty over sweet.
From Salon
At this one, happy hour is frequented by local folks — a few of them salty dogs from the marina nearby.
From Los Angeles Times
For me, it was a combination of umami and lemon—salty, savory, a little sharp.
From Salon
Joe Biden used salty language and in 2024 famously issued one word—“Don’t”—to warn Tehran not to retaliate against Israel.
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.
