'salt-averse' is a modern English compound formed from 'salt' + 'averse'. 'salt' originates from Old English 'sealt' (from Proto-Germanic *saltą), where the root referred to the substance 'salt'. 'averse' originates from Latin 'aversus', the past participle of 'avertere', where 'ab-/a-' meant 'away' and 'vertere' meant 'to turn'.

'salt' comes from Old English 'sealt' (from Proto-Germanic *saltą) and eventually became Modern English 'salt'. 'averse' entered English via Latin 'aversus' (through Old French/Medieval Latin influences) and became the adjective 'averse' in Modern English; the compound 'salt-averse' is formed in Modern English by combining the noun and adjective elements.

Individually, the elements meant 'salt' (the mineral) and 'turned away' (averse). Over time, combined as 'salt-averse' the phrase has the specific modern meaning 'having a dislike of salt' without additional metaphorical senses.