salty

1 of 3

adjective

ˈsȯl-tē 

saltier; saltiest

1

a

: of, seasoned with, or containing salt

salty foods

b

: being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is suggestive of seawater compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1 sense 1, umami entry 2

2

: smacking of the sea or nautical life

3

a

: piquant

b

: earthy, crude

salty language

4

informal : feeling or showing resentment towards a person or situation : bitter

I completely forgot about our date and left my girlfriend waiting at the restaurant for over an hour. Now she's all salty.

—Nicole Lane

They made me shave my beard and cover up my tattoos, which I was a little salty about.

—Jon Niccum

saltily

ˈsȯl-tə-lē 

adverb

saltiness

ˈsȯl-tē-nəs 

noun

salty

2 of 3

noun (1)

: the taste sensation that is suggestive of seawater compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, sour entry 2 sense 1b, sweet entry 3 sense 2, umami entry 1

saltiness

3 of 3

noun (2)

salt·​i·​ness ˈsȯltēnə̇s 

-tin-, 

chiefly British ˈsäl-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being salty

the saltiness of the sea air

humor … usually flavored late in life with a sardonic saltiness

—J. C. Fitzpatrick

Synonyms of salty

Adjective

• salt

Examples of salty in a Sentence

Adjective

I think the soup tastes salty.

salty sea water is safe to swim in, but you really shouldn't swallow it

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The nuttiness of pistachios will echo that flavor in the avocado, and the salty, chewy addition will make each bite even more satisfying. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026

The sweetness of summer corn combined with the smoky, salty richness of bacon makes this easy pasta extra dreamy. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 June 2026

Noun

Here are two more stories of the subterranean, one sinister and one salty. — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026

Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese Most tasters felt that this cottage cheese was sweet while some felt that its curds were a little salty. — Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1912, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for salty

• faulty

Kids Definition

salty

adjective

ˈsȯl-tē 

saltier; saltiest

1

: seasoned with or containing salt : tasting of or like salt

2

: having the flavor of or suggesting the sea or things related to the sea

3

: racy entry 1 sense 2

a salty remark

saltiness noun

Medical Definition

salty

adjective

ˈsȯl-tē 

saltier; saltiest

: of, seasoned with, or containing salt

saltiness

-tē-nəs 

noun