Definition of salt
1a : a crystalline compound NaCl that consists of sodium chloride, is abundant in nature, and is used especially to season or preserve food or in industry —called also common saltb : a substance (such as Glauber's salt) resembling common saltc salts plural (1) : a mineral or saline mixture (such as Epsom salts) used as an aperient or cathartic (2) : smelling saltsd : any of various compounds that result from replacement of part or all of the acid hydrogen of an acid by a metal or a group acting like a metal : an ionic crystalline compound
2 : a container for salt at table —often used in the phrases above the salt and below the salt alluding to the former custom of seating persons of higher rank above and those of lower rank below a saltcellar placed in the middle of a long table
3a : an ingredient that gives savor, piquancy, or zest : flavor a people … full of life, vigor, and the salt of personality — Clifton Fadimanb : sharpness of wit : pungencyc : common sensed : reserve, skepticism —usually used in the phrases with a grain of salt and with a pinch of salte : a dependable steadfast person or group of people —usually used in the phrase salt of the earth
4 : sailor a tale worthy of an old salt
5 : keep 1 —usually used in the phrase worth one's salt
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Examples of salt in a Sentence
The soup needs a little more salt.
Season the meat with salt and pepper.
Origin and Etymology of salt
Middle English, from Old English sealt; akin to Old High German salz salt, Lithuanian saldus sweet, Latin sal salt, Greek hals salt, sea
salt
Definition of salt
transitive verb
1a : to treat, provide, or season with common salt salt the food salt a drivewayb : to preserve (food) with salt or in brine a supply of salted beef/fishc : to supply (an animal) with salt the field where cattle are salted
2 : to give flavor or piquancy to (something, such as a story)
3a : to enrich (a mine) artificially by secretly placing valuable mineral in some of the working placesb : to add something to secretly salted the files with forged papers; also : to insert or place secretly salted the mines along the road
4a : to sprinkle with or as if with a saltb : scatter, intersperse
Examples of salt in a Sentence
The meat was preserved by being salted and smoked.
The city salted the roads after the snowstorm.
First Known Use of salt
before 12th century
salt
Definition of salt
saltness
nounFirst Known Use of salt
before 12th century
Origin and Etymology of salt
by shortening & alteration from assaut, from Middle English, from Anglo-French en saut in rut
SALT
Definition of SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
Other Government and Politics Terms
Salt
playDefinition of Salt
1 river 200 miles (322 kilometers) long in Arizona flowing west into the Gila River
2 river 100 miles (161 kilometers) long in north central Kentucky flowing into the Ohio River
3 river 200 miles (322 kilometers) long in northeastern Missouri flowing southeast into the Mississippi River
SALT Defined for English Language Learners
salt
playDefinition of salt for English Language Learners
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: a natural white substance that is used especially to flavor or preserve food
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: a chemical compound formed when part of an acid is replaced by a metal or something like a metal
salt
Definition of salt for English Language Learners
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: to flavor or preserve (food) with salt
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: to put salt on (a surface) especially in order to melt ice
SALT Defined for Kids
Definition of salt for Students
1 : a colorless or white substance that consists of sodium and chlorine and is used in seasoning and preserving food and in industry
2 : a compound formed by the combination of an acid and a base or a metal
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of salt
1a: a crystalline compound NaCl that is the chloride of sodium, is abundant in nature, and is used especially to season or preserve food or in industry—called also common salt, sodium chlorideb: a substance (as Glauber's salt) resembling common saltc: any of numerous compounds that result from replacement of part or all of the acid hydrogen of an acid by a metal or a group acting like a metal : an ionic crystalline compound
2salts plural a: a mineral or saline mixture (as Epsom salts) used as an aperient or catharticb: smelling salts
Learn More about salt
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See words that rhyme with salt Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for salt Spanish Central: Translation of salt Nglish: Translation of salt for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of salt for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about salt
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