bath salts

plural noun

1

: a usually colored crystalline compound for perfuming and softening bathwater

2

: any of various synthetic illicit drugs with stimulant and sometimes hallucinogenic properties that are used (as by being injected or snorted) typically in the form of a white or brown crystalline powder

Examples of bath salts in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This indulgent set includes luxurious bath salts, fragrant candles, and soothing skincare products, creating a spa-like retreat within the comfort of her home. —Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024

Offering products such as bath salts, candles, crystals and incense and services like art appraisal services, classes and workshops and painting restorations, the business is dedicated to bringing the community together by making art accessible and fun to everyone, according to its website. —Allana Haynes, Baltimore Sun, 26 Nov. 2024

Use of bath salts in the mid-to-late 2010s was rampant in South Florida, causing people to act out bizarrely and often violently in public. —Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2024

Brand partners like Louis Vuitton, Adidas, Comcast, Visa, and the Lennar Foundation all helped bring the night to life, as swag bags sealed the deal, featuring goodies like luxury luggage tags, CBD bath salts, specialty chocolates, and more. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 18 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

bath salts

noun plural

1

: a usually colored crystalline compound for perfuming and softening bathwater

2

: any of various synthetic, illicit, stimulant drugs that contain derivatives of cathinone (such as MDPV) and are typically sold as white or brown crystalline powders

Los Angeles County health officials warned Tuesday against the use of bath salts—the designer drug involved in a series of bizarre incidents and arrests—just one week after a new study charted a skyrocketing number of calls to U.S. poison control centers about the drug.

—Wesley Lowery, The Los Angeles Times

—sometimes singular

Although the man was later proven to not be under the influence of bath salt, the incident nonetheless brought the drug national attention.

—Lauren McGaughy, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana)