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It's actually closer to the other way around. Salt has been used for centuries, and that word is very old. Salt has been a commodity traded (bartered) and sold for as long as its uses were known. At a point in the past, Roman soldiers (and other "employees") were compensated for their services with salt. This gave rise to the word salarium, which spoke to the association between soldiers and salt, or to the use of salt as soldiers' compensation. The word salary appeared later, along with "worth his salt" and other phrases that connect payment for services using salt as a currency. There are a number of different (but similar) versions of the ideas presented here in various places on the web. A link can be found below to allow the curious etymologist to further investigate.

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15y ago

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How do you get salary from salt?

Salary and salt are derived from the Latin word sal.And sal is very probable of sanskrit origin.It is said that in ancient times salary may be paid with a ration of salt.


What makes a salary?

A salary is a monthly payment by an employer to an employee for his services for the past month. The word is derived from the Latin word salarius, which has to do with the allowance or payment of Roman soldiers with salt.


Why salts are called as salts?

Salt is derived from the Latin word sal, salis. And sal is derived from salarium, because salary include frequently an amount of salt. It is not a complete answer, of course, but I don't know more.


What words from the English language have been derived from the word salt?

SaltineSalineSalivate (saliva is salty)Desalination


Why salt is called salt?

The words salt in English, sel in French, sare in Romanian, etc. are derived from the Latin language word salarium (equivalent of salary). Salarium was the amount of money payed to Roman soldiers to buy salt.


How did salt get the name salt?

Salt is derived from the word sal in Latin language.


Where does a salt get its name from?

Salt is a word derived from the Latin language word sal.


What does the word 'salary' mean in Latin?

The root of salary is salt. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid their wages in salt.


What word is the root for salary?

The root word for "salary" is "salarium," which comes from the Latin word "salarium," meaning "payment."


Why was salt a salary?

Salt was used as currency in ancient times because it was valuable for preserving food, adding flavor, and promoting good health. It was a necessary and scarce resource, so it became a common form of payment for soldiers and laborers, leading to the term "salary" being derived from the Latin word for salt, "salarium."


Where does the word salary came from?

At one time the [SALE] salt was not very much availableas today is. Roman soldiers were paid in salt being necessary for good health. Of course the roman latin word has changed to by the English as salary.


Where did the word 'salary' come from?

The word 'salary' has its origins in ancient Rome, where soldiers were paid their wages in salt, known as "salarium" from the Latin word "sal" for salt. Over time, the term evolved to refer to any regular payment to individuals for their work.