salt junk

noun

: dried salted beef

Did you know?

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.

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near salt junk

Cite this Entry

“Salt junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salt%20junk. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!