saltwort

noun

salt·​wort ˈsȯlt-ˌwərt How to pronounce saltwort (audio)
-ˌwȯrt
1
: any of a genus (Salsola) of plants (such as the Russian thistle) of the amaranth family of which some have been used in making soda ash
2
: a low-growing strong-smelling succulent coastal shrub (Batis maritima of the family Bataceae) of warm parts of the New World

Examples of saltwort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute managed to grow more than 100 pounds of sea asparagus, sea purslane and saltwort in 10-weeks, with just salt water and fish waste as fertilizer. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2021 An Eastern pygmy blue butterfly, about as big as a fingernail, rests on its host plant, a saltwort, in an Everglades National Park prairie. Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, 29 Jan. 2018 Even those meeting saltwort for the first time will find that the rest of the meal looks familiar. Pete Wells, New York Times, 6 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'saltwort.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of saltwort was in 1568

Dictionary Entries Near saltwort

Cite this Entry

“Saltwort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saltwort. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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