salty

1 of 2

adjective

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
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 adverb
saltiness noun

salty

2 of 2

noun

: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
This produces aromas of caramel, vanilla, walnut, coffee and wood, combined with a playful sweet and salty palate. Emily Cappiello, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 Two days after tensions flared going into halftime of the crosstown rivalry game, DeShaun Foster remained salty about UCLA being the only team punished. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
Real Parmigiano Reggiano has a distinct flavor—savory, nutty, and just a little salty. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 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, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for salty 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of salty was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near salty

Cite this Entry

“Salty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salty. Accessed 20 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

salty

adjective
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
saltier; saltiest
: of, seasoned with, or containing salt
saltiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on salty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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