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

Indeed, Atencio’s words — some of those quoted in the book, such as “Avast there! Ye come seeking adventure and salty old pirates, aye?” — have become shorthand for how to speak like a pirate.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And the bacon — smoky, salty, a little crunchy — anchors it all.

Read more on Salon

In contrast, near-surface water is cooler, less salty, and holds less CO2.

Read more on Science Daily

It’s an interesting dichotomy, though: I hate a bland, under-salted butter moment, but an overly salty one can be downright inedible.

Read more on Salon

It can be too runny, too clumpy, too salty, not salty enough, burned, sticky and, frankly, not very good at all.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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.