sal-, sali- +

(Latin: salt)

Don't confuse this sal-, sali-; "salt" unit with another sali-, salt- unit which refers to "jumping" and "leaping".

ammonia
1. Although this word is not directly related to this sal or salt unit, it is presented here because of its relationship to "salt".
2. A colorless gas that is about one half as dense as air at ordinary temperatures and pressures.

It has a characteristic pungent, penetrating odor and it forms a minute proportion of the atmosphere.

It is found in volcanic gases and as a product of decomposition of animal and vegetable matter.

Because ammonia was at one time developed with the destructive distillation of the horns and hooves of animals, its water solution was called "spirits of hartshorn". Ammonia has also been called "alkaline air" and "volatile alkali".

3. Etymology: the name ammonia is directly related to Amon, or Amen, the Egyptian god of life and reproduction and identified by the Romans with Jupiter.

Deposits of ammonium chloride were found near the temple of Amon in Libya which were named sal ammoniac, "salt of Amon".

The gas known as nitrogen hydride comes from sal ammoniac; and in 1782, the Swedish chemist, Torbern Bergman, presented the term ammonia for this gas.

cum grano salis
"With a grain of salt."

This is said to be one of the most familiar Latin expressions. When one does not fully believe something or someone, cum grano salis, suggests a certain caution or reserve.

Salt was a valuable commodity in the ancient world, so a grain of salt is not to be taken as a trivial matter. The English word “salary” is derived from the Latin, salarium, which was the money allotted to Roman soldiers for purchases of salt; hence, it was their pay.

desalination, desalting, desalinization, desalinisation
1. The removal of salt from a body of water or a system; especially, the removal of salt from sea water to make it suitable for drinking.
2. The removal of dissolved salts from seawater and in some cases from the brackish waters of inland seas, highly mineralized ground waters; such as, geothermal water that is saturated or strongly impregnated with salt, and municipal waste waters.

The process includes removal of dissolved salts from sea water and from the salty waters of inland seas, highly mineralized ground waters, and municipal waste waters.

The desalination process makes such otherwise unusable waters fit for human consumption, irrigation, industrial applications, and for other purposes.

Distillation is the most widely used desalination process; freezing and thawing, electrodialysis, and reverse osmosis are also used. All are energy-intensive and therefore expensive; so, for this reason, it is generally used only where sources of fresh water are not economically available.

Currently, more than two billion gallons (eight million cubic meters) of fresh water are produced each day by several thousand desalination plants throughout the world, the largest plants apparently are in the Arabian Peninsula.

—Partially compiled from information located at:
"Desalination"; Encyclopædia Britannica; January 8, 2010;
Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
desalt, desalts; desalted, desalting (verbs)
1. To remove salt from something; especially, from sea water, usually to make it drinkable.
2. Any of various methods used to remove mineral salt from ocean water or other brines; such as, flash desalting, reverse osmosis, or electrodialysis.
hypersaline
1. Marked by increased salt in a saline solution.
2. Characterized by increased or excessive salinity; used in the treatment involving the administration of large doses of sodium chloride.
hypersalinity
A reference to naturally occurring water that is more salty than that which is typical of sea water.
Sal sapit omnia.
Salt seasons everything.

This "salt" refers not to table salt (sodium chloride) but to "sparkling thought well expressed" or to some good conversation when eating.

salad
1. Usually a cold dish consisting of vegetables; such as, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat, or eggs.
2. Any of various dishes consisting of foods; such as, meat, seafood, eggs, pasta, or fruit, prepared singly or combined; usually cut up, mixed with a dressing, and served cold. Examples include: chicken salad; potato salad.
3. Any herb or green vegetable, as lettuce, used for salads or eaten raw. 4. Any mixture or assortment: "The usual salad of writers, artists, and musicians attended the meeting."
5. Originally, a "salted" dish.

The Romans were fond of dishes of assorted raw vegetables with a dressing, and this mixture often consisted of brine; hence, the name which is short for herba salata or "salted vegetables".

salami
A large thick highly seasoned sausage which contains a great deal of salt as one of its ingredients.
salaried
1. Receiving a salary; such as, "They are the salaried members of our staff."
2. Receiving or eligible for compensation; that is, "Salaried workers."
3. That for which money is paid; including, "Salaried employment."
salary
1. A fixed periodic payment for work done.
2. A fixed annual sum, paid at regular intervals, usually monthly or weekly, to an employee; especially, for professional or clerical work.
3. Etymology: from Anglo-French salarie, Old French salarie, from Latin salarium, "salary, stipend"; originally, "a soldier's allowance for buying salt" that was a valued commodity over which many wars were fought; from Latin salarius, "pertaining to salt"; from sal, salis, "salt".
saliferoius stratum
A stratum of sedimentary or igneous rock that produces, contains, or is impregnated with salt.
saliferous
Used to describe a geological formation that contains or produces a large proportion of salt.
salifiable
Capable of combining with an acid to form a salt.
salina
A salt marsh, lake, pond, or spring.

From medieval Latin via Spanish meaning "salt pit".

Another related "salt" unit can be seen at this hal- link.