'salir' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'salīre', where 'sal-' meant 'to leap' or 'to jump'.

'salīre' changed through Vulgar Latin and Old Spanish into the modern Spanish verb 'salir' (Old Spanish also attested as 'salir'/'saer' forms), eventually becoming the current 'salir'.

Initially, it meant 'to leap' or 'to jump', but over time it evolved into the primary sense of 'to go out' or 'to leave'.