salt
A white crystalline substance used for seasoning and preserving food.
Etymology
From Old English sealt, from Proto-Germanic *saltą, from PIE *seh₂l- "salt." Salt was one of the most important commodities in the ancient world — essential for food preservation. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt, giving us the word "salary" (Latin salārium).
The Journey: *seh₂l- → salt
*seh₂l-
*saltą
sealt
salt
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *seh₂l-. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | háls |
| Latin | sāl |
| Welsh | halen |
| Russian | solĭ |
| Old Irish | salann |
| Lithuanian | druskà |
| Tocharian B | salyiye |
Did You Know?
The word "salary" comes from Latin salārium "salt money." The phrase "worth his salt" preserves this ancient connection between salt and value. "Salad" also comes from sal — originally vegetables prepared with salt.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *seh₂l-. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.