salt junk

noun

: dried salted beef

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Salt junk might refer to any salty junk food, but, by definition, it refers to dried salted beef and has nautical origins as a name for food preserved with salt for long sea voyages. The word junk itself was used for pieces of old cable or cordage, which influenced the term salt junk for tough, chewy food.

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Cite this Entry

“Salt junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salt%20junk. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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