HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.

Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.

guide to the dictionary

SALT

(sôlt)

abbr.

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

salt

(sôlt)

1. A usually whitish crystalline solid, chiefly sodium chloride, used extensively in ground or granulated form as a food seasoning and preservative. Also called common salt, table salt.

2. An ionic chemical compound formed by replacing all or part of the hydrogen ions of an acid with metal ions or other cations.

3. salts Any of various mineral salts used as laxatives or cathartics.

4. salts Smelling salts.

5. often salts Epsom salts.

6. An element that gives flavor or zest.

7. Sharp lively wit.

8. Informal A sailor, especially when old or experienced.

9. A saltcellar.

adj.

1. Containing or filled with salt: a salt spray; salt tears.

2. Having a salty taste or smell: breathed the salt air.

3. Preserved in salt or a salt solution: salt mackerel.

a. Flooded with seawater.

b. Found in or near such a flooded area: salt grasses.

tr.v. salt·ed, salt·ing, salts

1. To add, treat, season, or sprinkle with salt.

2. To cure or preserve by treating with salt or a salt solution.

3. To provide salt for (deer or cattle).

4. To add zest or liveliness to: salt a lecture with anecdotes.

5. To give an appearance of value to by fraudulent means, especially to place valuable minerals in (a mine) for the purpose of deceiving.

Phrasal Verbs:

salt away

To put aside; save.

salt out

To separate (a dissolved substance) by adding salt to the solution.

Idioms:

salt of the earth

1. A person or group considered as embodying simplicity and moral integrity.

2. Archaic A person or group considered the best or most worthy part of society.

worth (one's) salt

Efficient and capable.

[Middle English, from Old English sealt; see sal- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

American Heritage Dictionary Products

HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

THE USAGE PANEL

AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG

INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

American Heritage Dictionary Products