salary
ˈsæl.ə.ri
noun
Origin
Latin
salārium — wages
Overview
Meaning Now
- A fixed regular payment, typically paid on a monthly or biweekly basis, made by an employer to an employee, especially a professional or white-collar worker.
Language path
English → Middle English → Old French → Latin
Earliest form
salarie
Earliest period
Middle English
Journey
The term 'salary' originates from the Latin word'salārium', which is believed to refer to a form of payment related to salt. Roman soldiers were thought to have been paid with salt or with money to buy salt, which was a valuable commodity. However, there is no concrete evidence supporting this theory.
Evolution
- Middle English
salarie
“a fixed payment or wage”
From Old French 'salaire'.
- Early Modern English
salary
“fixed regular payment made by an employer”
Adopted directly from French'salaire'.
Connections
Word parts
sal-
root
related to salt
-arium
suffix
related to, derived from
Related across languages
French
salaire
salary
Spanish
sueldo
salary
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.