salinity
|sə-ˈlɪ-nɪ-ti|
/səˈlɪnɪti/
amount of salt (in something)
Etymology
'salinity' originates from Latin, specifically the root 'sal' meaning 'salt', combined with the adjectival form 'salinus' and the abstract noun suffix '-ity' (from Latin '-itas').
'salinity' developed in English via formation from Medieval/Modern Latin elements (salinus + -itas) and entered English usage in the 17th century to denote 'saltiness' or 'salt content'.
Initially it referred generally to 'saltiness' or 'the state of being salty'; over time it acquired the technical sense of 'concentration of dissolved salts' used in oceanography, chemistry, and soil science.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride and other ions) in water or a solution, often expressed in parts per thousand (ppt) or practical salinity units (PSU).
Oceanographers measured the salinity of the surface water to study circulation patterns.
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Noun 2
the degree of saltiness of a substance (such as food or soil), i.e., how salty it tastes or how much salt is present relative to other components.
The salinity of the soup was too high for most diners, so the chef adjusted the recipe.
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Noun 3
in agriculture and soil science, the amount of soluble salts in soil that can affect plant growth and soil structure; high salinity can reduce crop yields.
Prolonged irrigation without proper drainage increased the salinity of the farmland.
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Last updated: 2026/01/07 09:19