Etymologically
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salarium

Etymology and origin of the Latin word salarium

History
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin salarium
English salary

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [saˈɫaː.ri.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [saˈlaː.ri.um][1]

Forms

salārium n (genitive salāriī or salārī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of the adjective salārius “of salt”, used as a noun, from sal “salt”.[2][1][3] Lewis and Short and Gaffiot explain it as originally an allowance of salt or money for buying salt given to soldiers, an explanation Etymonline reports with caution.[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the 1st century AD, in Pliny the Elder,[5] who connects it with salt.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a regular official payment to the holder of a civil or military post, a salary, and Seneca, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger use it for allowances and stipends.[2][4] Wiktionary also records the sense of a meal.[1]

In medieval Latin it took up other senses connected with salt, such as a salt cellar, salt works and a toll on salt, and also meant a food supply, provisions, a prebend and a charter.[6] Through Old French salaire it gave English salary in the late 13th century.[3]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it and links it with salt.[4][5]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it for a stipend.[4][5]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus mentions the salary of a proconsul.[4][5]
  • Middle Ages – It means a toll on salt, provisions and a prebend.[6]
  • late 13th century – Through French it gives English salary.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A regular official payment, a salary, stipend.[2][4]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A salt cellar; salt works; a toll on salt.[6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Provisions; a prebend; a charter.[6]

Word family

  • salāriārius

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Salarium.” Etymologically, 10 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/salarium. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on .