worth one's salt
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worth one's salt
- /ˈwɜːθ wʌnz ˈsɒlt/ UK
- /ˈwɝθ wʌnz ˈsɔlt/ US
- /-sɑlt/ US
Where it comes from
First attested in 1805. Perhaps referencing the derivation of the word salary from Latin sal (“salt”), which is correct (though the related idea that soldiers were paid in salt is not). Or more generally from the fact that salt was a fairly valuable commodity in pre-modern times.
adjective
-
Adept or competent, especially at one's occupation.
Any doctor worth their salt should be able to correctly diagnose the illness.
Similar: worth one's weight in salt
Translations
Every language
adj adept or competent
| Español | acorde a su fama, valedero / merecedor de su salario, digno de su sal |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 有能 yūnō |
| 中文 | 勝任 /胜任 shèngrèn |
| Français | digne de ce nom |
| Русский | знающий своё дело znajuščij svojó delo, компетентный kompetentnyj, сведущий sveduščij |
Talk about this word "worth one's salt." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/worth%20one's%20salt. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. worth one's salt. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/worth%20one's%20salt "worth one's salt." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/worth%20one's%20salt.Cite this
@misc{worth_one_s_salt_2026,
title = {worth one's salt},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/worth%20one's%20salt},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
