saline
/ˈseɪ.laɪn/ or /ˈseɪ.liːn/
adjective
Origin
Latin
salinus — of or belonging to salt
Overview
Meaning Now
- Containing salt, or of the nature of salt.
- A chemical solution, especially of sodium chloride in water, used for medical or laboratory purposes.
Literal older meaning
salty, pertaining to salt
Language path
Latin → Middle French → English
Earliest form
saline
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term is derived from the Latin 'sal' (salt), a substance of immense historical and economic importance, often used as currency in ancient times. The word 'salary' also shares this etymological root, reflecting the practice of providing soldiers with a 'salarium' to purchase salt.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*sal-
“salt”
- Latin
sal
“salt”
Root noun
- Latin
salinus
“salty”
Adjective formation
- Middle French
saline
“salty”
Borrowed into French
- English
saline
“salty; a salt solution”
Adopted into English in the 17th century
Connections
Word parts
sal-
root
salt
-ine
suffix
pertaining to
Related across languages
French
salin
salty
Spanish
salino
saline
Italian
salino
saline
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.