etymology · 100s BCE–200s CE
salary
Drift #28 · Jun 9, 2026 · abstract
Meaning comparison
Today it means
a fixed regular payment for employment
It used to mean (100s BCE–200s CE)
an allowance of salt given to Roman soldiers as payment
Etymology
'Salary' comes from Latin 'salarium' — from 'sal' (salt). Roman soldiers were sometimes paid an allowance to buy salt, or given salt directly. Salt preserved food, preserved bodies, and was essential to survival — making it one of history's first currencies. The phrase 'worth his salt' preserves this ancient origin.
The Drift
How the meaning shifted over time
the drift
In Historical Context
The legionary's salary was paid partly in coin and partly in salt — a commodity so precious that without it, neither man nor food could endure the march.
drift fact
The phrase 'worth his salt' survives from this era — a soldier or worker worth their salt justified the payment they received.
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